SpaceX has signed a major supply contract with German equipment manufacturer SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES to build heterojunction (HJT) solar cell production lines at its Bastrop, Texas facility. The initial turnkey production line, valued at over $69 million, is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2027.
This agreement is part of a broader strategic partnership aimed at scaling manufacturing capacity to support more than 100 GW of production equipment annually for SpaceX’s Starmind satellite constellation, which CEO Elon Musk has described as a plan to create a "sentient sun" for orbital AI computing.
"SpaceX has ordered 100 GW/year of HJT solar manufacturing equipment from Singulus in Germany," Musk wrote on X. "This is for Starmind to create a sentient sun."
SINGULUS will provide a complete turnkey production line for high-efficiency HJT solar cells, which combine crystalline and amorphous silicon layers.
All solar cell production will take place at SpaceX’s Gigasat facility in Bastrop, Texas, establishing a vertically integrated manufacturing path for the Starmind satellites.
The partnership began in March 2026, with SpaceX providing significant financial funding to SINGULUS in both March and October 2026, including through a subordinated secured loan.
While the first line is confirmed for first half of 2027, SINGULUS plans to supply multiple additional lines to meet the 100 GW annual equipment target as satellite production accelerates.
The Starmind program involves a constellation of satellites designed to carry heavy computing payloads that run AI workloads in orbit, powered by solar energy generated directly in space.
Musk clarified on X that the 100 GW/year figure refers to the capacity of the manufacturing equipment rather than the electricity generated, signaling an ambition to produce hundreds of thousands of satellites.
The solar arrays are a critical component, as they reportedly constitute most of the mass of each Starmind satellite, making domestic cell production essential for supply chain durability.