Panels

The InSight Mars lander will cease science operations sometime in the next few months due to a decreasing power supply, mission managers said at a news conference on May 17.Martian dust covering the solar panels has reduced the amount of power to roughly 500 watt-hours per Mars day or sol. When InSight landed in November of 2018, the solar panels produced around 5,000 watt-hours each sol.  "At the end of the calendar year, we do anticipate having to conclude all InSight operations," said Kathya Zamora Garcia, InSight's…

IKEA announced yesterday that it’s partnering with residential energy services provider SunPower, a 35-year solar veteran, to sell home solar panels to US customers. The Swedish-based multinational company wants to make solar more easily accessible for consumers. Home Solar with IKEA is expected to launch in select California markets in fall of 2022, and then gradually expand across the US. Javier Quiñones, CEO and chief sustainability officer at IKEA US said: We’re proud to collaborate with SunPower to bring…

Welcome back to another Small Press Spotlight featuring more excellent choices for middle grade readers. This week, we take an exclusive look at Alex Schumacher’s debut middle grade graphic novel The Ill-Effects of Pickled Herring, set for publication in September 2023. Read the announcement recently featured in Publisher’s Weekly: “Olivia Ngai and Jennifer Newens at West Margin Press have acquired world English rights to Alex Schumacher‘s middle grade graphic novel The Ill-Effects of Pickled Herring, pitched as Raina…

Scientists in Australia are testing printed solar panels they will use to power a Tesla on a 15,100-km (9,400-mile) journey beginning in September, which they hope will get the public thinking about steps to help avert climate change.The Charge Around Australia project will power a Tesla electric car with 18 of the team's printed plastic solar panels, each 18 metres (59 feet) long, rolling them out beside the vehicle to soak up sunlight when it needs a charge.Paul Dastoor, the inventor of the printed solar panels, said…