Skylab used traditional silicon
based solar panels
Silicon based
space solar cells have a maximum theoretical efficiency around 23%
In 1958, the U.S. Vanguard space satellite carried a small
array of PV cells to power its radio. The cells worked so well that PV technology
has been part of the space progaram ever since. Today, solar cells power
virtually all satellites, including those used for communications, defense, and
scientific research.