EXHIBIT 99.1
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SPIRE CORPORATION NEWS RELEASE

            SPIRE CORPORATION APPOINTS DR. CHRISTIAN DUFRESNE AS CFO

Bedford, MA -- May 24, 2006 -- Spire Corporation (Nasdaq: SPIR), today announced
that Dr. Christian Dufresne has been appointed to the position of Chief
Financial Officer, replacing James F. Parslow.

Dr. Dufresne has been with Spire for six years. Most recently, he has served as
Vice President - Corporate Planning at Spire Corporation, and has previously
held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Spire Biomedical. In his role as
Vice President - Corporate Planning, Dr. Dufresne has taken a leadership role in
defining the strategic direction of the Company and also led the Company's
recent financing. In his new position he will continue to focus on development
and execution of strategies for corporate growth.

Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporation, said, "Chris has
demonstrated leadership and fiscal responsibility at Spire, at both the product
line and corporate levels. I am confident in his abilities to plan and manage
the Company's finances."

Dr. Dufresne has a doctorate in economics from Clark University with a
concentration in industrial organization and finance. Prior to working with
Spire Corporation, he was a Consultant for Stratford Associates, a market
research firm that performs economic market modeling for Fortune 500 companies.

Dr. Dufresne will be supported by a new Chief Accounting Officer, yet to be
identified, who will be responsible for all accounting issues including
compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.


About Spire Corporation
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Spire Corporation is a diversified technology company providing innovative solar
energy manufacturing equipment, biomedical devices and optoelectronic
components. Spire offers full, turnkey solutions for wafer, cell and module
manufacturing equipment for the solar photovoltaic industry worldwide. For more
information visit www.spirecorp.com.

Contact:   Spire Corporation
           Roger G. Little, Chairman & CEO
           Tel. 781-275-6000

Certain matters described in this news release may be forward-looking statements
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks
and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk of dependence on
market growth, competition and dependence on government agencies and other third
parties for funding contract research and services, as well as other factors
described in the Company's Form 10-KSB filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.