[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] As Elon Musk’s plan to build a space data center takes shape, attention is focusing on the possibility that Daejoo Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. ( Daejoo Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.(078600)), a South Korean solar cell materials company, will enter the related supply chain. Following the successful first orbital flight of SpaceX’s large launch vehicle, Starship, and with the construction of solar cell mass production facilities gaining momentum, it has recently been reported that SpaceX officials visited Daejoo Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. in person to discuss material supply options.

According to industry sources on the 13th, SpaceX officials recently visited Daeju Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. to discuss plans to use Korean-made electrode paste in solar cells for space data centers. During the visit, they reportedly assessed Daeju Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.’s production capacity (CAPA), raw material procurement system, logistics, and quality control capabilities.

This aligns with SpaceX’s efforts to secure a supply chain for the large-scale solar cell production facility it is currently developing. SpaceX is building the “GIGASAT Factory” in Bastrop County, Texas, to produce satellites for space data centers, as well as solar cells, silicon ingots, and wafers. The company plans to establish a vertically integrated production system capable of manufacturing everything from raw silicon materials to finished satellites in-house.

According to industry sources, the GIGASAT solar cell factory is scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2027, with plans to expand production capacity to 10 gigawatts (GW) annually by the end of that year and to 20 GW by the end of 2028. The company aims to subsequently increase the number of production facilities to at least five, securing an annual production capacity of over 100 GW by 2030. It has also been reported that the issue of procuring solar cell manufacturing equipment—which had previously been cited as a major obstacle to production expansion—has recently been resolved.

Progress is also being made in the development of launch vehicles necessary for building space data centers. During the 14th test flight of Starship on the 28th of last month, the spacecraft successfully entered Earth orbit for the first time. Unlike previous test flights, which had been limited to suborbital flights, this flight entered an orbit at an altitude of approximately 275 km, a development seen as a significant step toward establishing the technological foundation for large-scale satellite launches.

If SpaceX’s plans for mass-producing solar cells come to fruition, demand for related materials is also expected to rise. The paste used to form solar cell electrodes is a material whose consumption is proportional to production volume; thus, as mass production scales up, supply volumes will also increase.

In particular, since space-grade solar cells must operate in extreme environments—such as those involving radiation and rapid temperature changes—the quality and stability of the materials are critical. Consequently, in the supplier selection process, factors such as large-scale production capacity and a stable raw material procurement system are expected to be key evaluation criteria, in addition to product performance.

Daejoo Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. is a company with a long history of developing and producing pastes for electronic materials and has established a business foundation in the field of solar cell electrode materials. Recently, it has expanded its business scope to include silicon anode materials for electric vehicle batteries.

The U.S. trend toward building supply chains independent of China is also cited as an opportunity for domestic materials companies. Analysts suggest that if SpaceX increases the proportion of non-Chinese materials in its procurement as it builds large-scale solar cell production facilities, domestic suppliers such as Daejoo Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. could benefit.

However, details such as whether actual supply contracts have been signed and the volume of supplies have not yet been confirmed. When asked about a visit by SpaceX officials, a representative of Daejoo Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. stated, “It is difficult for us to confirm specific details regarding our clients.”