All Northrop Grumman’s satellites will be fitted with Emcore’s multijunction solar cells under a new supply agreement that will continue to 2012.

The high-efficiency solar cells will help provide power for Northrop Grumman’s space-based global climate monitoring capabilities and other satellite missions.

The cells provide power to interplanetary spacecraft and earth-orbiting satellites, have a beginning-of-life conversion efficiency of 30% and the option for an on-board monolithic bypass diode.

The three-year contract is valued at $17m.