• Solar panels must be constantly exposed to light to produce electricity
• Click here to learn how solar panels work
• Solar panels are only effective if they will be receiving lots of sunlight
• Solar panels consist of many individual solar cells
• Each individual cell does not produce large amounts of electricity by itself
• Large surface area is needed in order to produce maximum electricity
• The need for large solar panels must be balanced with the need for the entire satellite to be relatively small
• Solar panels can be mounted on the body of the satellite

• If the body is not large enough for the amount of solar panels needed, the panels may be extended in arrays off to the side of the satellite

• Solar panels will not "run down" like a battery (completely renewable)
• Solar panels can be used together with a battery, which recharges when the satellite is in the sun and provides the satellite's power when the satellite is not
• They are excellent for satellites studying the sun or the planets orbiting close to the sun
• They cannot be used easily for space exploration satellites going deep into space because they will travel too far from the sun to receive sufficient power
• They are moderately efficient and moderately expensive