Ascent Solar Technologies makes flexible, lightweight thin-film solar panels for aerospace, defense, and space applications where traditional rigid panels don't work. The core product is a CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-diSelenide) solar module built on a flexible plastic substrate, producing panels that are thin, bendable, and lightweight — properties critical for satellites, UAVs, high-altitude aircraft, and other weight-sensitive platforms. Ascent sells directly to end users and works with strategic partners to integrate its modules into finished platforms like spacecraft and drones. The company is very small, with roughly 18 total employees. Revenue comes from module sales, custom development contracts, and R&D contracts. Ascent manufactures using a roll-to-roll production process and argues its proprietary monolithic integration technique reduces manufacturing steps and cost relative to conventional approaches. Customers in aerospace, defense, and space pay a significant premium per watt because flexibility and power-to-weight ratio are mission-critical and can't be replicated by cheaper rigid alternatives. Ascent claims to be the only company focused on commercial-scale production of CIGS on flexible plastic with monolithic integration. Growth is focused on expanding within space and satellite markets, power beaming applications, and deeper partner-led integration into UAV and spacecraft platforms.