THORNTON, Colo., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (“Ascent,” “Ascent Solar” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), a U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, today announced it has established a Strategic Advisory Board with the addition of its inaugural member, Major General Casey Blake, in the title of Strategic Advisor.

General Blake joins Ascent after an expansive career with the United States Air Force. Most recently, General Blake served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, in Washington, D.C. He was tasked with managing all aspects of Air Force contracting relating to the acquisition of weapon systems, logistics, and operational support. General Blake led a highly skilled staff which oversaw training, organizing, and equipping a workforce of about 8,000 contracting professionals that executed programs worth more than $65 billion annually.

In his new role as the first member of Ascent’s Strategic Advisory Board, General Blake will advise Company leadership on government contracting processes and strategies and will lead development of a marketing program that will enable Ascent to better engage with both the US Air Force and Space Force to assist in their space solar solutions needs.

“The establishment of the Strategic Advisory Board is a pivotal development for Ascent, and General Blake is the ideal individual to get it started,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “His vast background in US government contracting will prove crucial for Ascent as we work to deepen our relationships with several government agencies. His insights will enable us to inform them and drive adoption for our thin-film space solar solutions that both increase energy efficiency and allow for vehicles to generate solar power without getting weighed down by traditional, rigid solar panels.”

General Blake’s arrival marks the latest milestone in Ascent’s continued progress toward the proliferation of thin-film solar cells in space environments. Most recently, the Company announced it signed a letter of intent to supply a private company with yearly solar array orders starting in 2027, in addition to announcing that its space solar PV array products had achieved spaceflight heritage on Momentus’ Vigoride-6 Mission.

ABOUT ASCENT SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Backed by 40 years of R&D, 15 years of manufacturing experience, numerous awards, and a comprehensive IP and patent portfolio, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative, high-performance, flexible thin-film solar panels for use in environments where mass, performance, reliability, and resilience matter. Ascent’s photovoltaic (PV) modules have been deployed on space missions, multiple airborne vehicles, agrivoltaic installations, in industrial/commercial construction as well as an extensive range of consumer goods, revolutionizing the use cases and environments for solar power. Ascent Solar’s research and development center and 4.5-MW nameplate production facility is in Thornton, Colorado. To learn more, visit https://www.ascentsolar.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).