Robotics Company Designs Power Grid on the Moon Using Lunar Resources To Generate Solar Energy

Scientists have been investigating the possibility of living in other heavenly bodies outside our planet. As the Earth's nearest neighbor, the Moon has been the subject of space explorations in search of a new habitat for humankind. However, living on the Moon is not easy, as various requirements must be met to make it possible.

The Need for Stable Power Supply

A reliable and renewable energy supply is needed if we plan to live on the Moon. NASA develops power generation systems that can effectively support more extended missions on the surface of the Moon. Still, if we aim to settle there for good, additional energy infrastructure must be installed.

Sustaining a colony means ensuring that everything can survive the extreme environmental conditions. In the daytime, the moon's surface temperature reaches up to 120 degrees Celsius at the equator. During the nighttime, the temperature drops to -220 degrees Celsius, almost as cold as Pluto.

Man-made equipment on the Moon could break down if there is no heater. As the structural components grow brittle over time, they can get damaged from the mechanical stresses brought by extreme changes in temperature.

Even if there are solar panels, they will be useless if there is no sunlight, and their broad plates will only lose heat in the process. If batteries are to be used as an alternative energy source, they will eventually lose their capacity. Moreover, batteries need a power-demanding cycle where much of the power in the batteries themselves will be used to heat themselves.

A spacecraft traveling to the Moon can also face the impacts of extreme temperature swings. This is because solar powers installed on the vehicle will have an unequal amount of heat on its surface, with the shadowed side colder than the sunny side. For the spacecraft to sustain its flight, there must be a combination of reflection, insulation, and energy from solar panels.

Because of these challenges, astronomers are continuously looking for the best possible source of energy. It turns out that solar is still the best solution, but it needs to adapt to the extreme conditions of the lunar environment.

LunaGrid Commercial Power System

Addressing this challenge has been the commitment of American company Astrobotic Technology which is known for developing space robotics systems for space missions. Known for its fleet of lunar landers, the company plans to solve the energy problem by providing a power generation and distribution service called LunaGrid.

The company designs LunaGrid to be made of a network of nodes joined by transmission cables. It intends to utilize the systems at Astrobotic, such as rovers, landers, and Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT). Each VSAT will be composed of transformers and power management systems to widen its capabilities and make it a fully developed power grid.

Astrobotic plans to deploy the LunaGrid elements in 2026 and make its first operation in 2028 at the lunar south pole. This particular region of the Moon was selected as the operation site of the power grid because this is also where NASA aims to establish a permanent base by 2030. The south pole also has deep craters with interiors lying permanently in shadow, thus remaining cold. The natural cold traps in this area contain water ice, potentially providing drinking water and oxygen from electrolysis.