  Cube satellites, or CubeSats, are small satellites commonly used to perform
Earth imaging and on-orbit scientific experiments. CubeSats are often powered
using expensive, inflexible commercial-off-the-shelf solar panels, largely due
to a lack of flight-qualified open-source alternatives. Here, we describe the
design of customizable, deployable solar panels, offering an open-source,
cost-effective alternative. Towards a fully open-source CubeSat, our designs
have mission-tailored power generation capabilities and simple electrical and
mechanical integration. The solar panel designs were demonstrated on-orbit on
three satellites in the Northern SPIRIT constellation and will be on
AlbertaSat's Ex-Alta~3 satellite, which will launch in 2025. The design files,
assembly procedures, and best practices will be open-source-published online.
This work lowers the barrier of entry into space, making satellite design
easier and less expensive -- students helping students design better
satellites.
