In less than three years, astronauts will return to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era. As part of the Artemis program, the goal isn’t just to return manned missions to the lunar surface to explore and collect monsters.
This time, there is also the goal of establishing vital infrastructure (such as the Lunar Gateway and a Base Camp) that will enable “sustainable exploration of the moon”.
A key requirement for this ambitious plan is the supply of power, which can be difficult in regions such as the South Pole-Aitken Basin – an area of craters that is permanently shaded.
To address this, a NASA Langley Research Center researcher named Charles Taylor has proposed a new concept known as “Light Bender.” Using telescope optics, this system would collect and disperse sunlight on the moon.
The Light Bender concept was one of 16 proposals selected for Phase I of the 2021 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, monitored by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).
As with previous NIAC submissions, the selected proposals represent a wide variety of innovative ideas that can help advance NASA’s space exploration goals.
In this case, Light Bender’s proposal focuses on the needs of astronauts who will be part of the Artemis missions and the “Long-Term Human Lunar Surface Presence” that will follow.
The design for Taylor’s concept was inspired by the heliostat, a device that adjusts to compensate for the sun’s apparent movement in the sky so that sunlight continues to reflect off a target.
In the case of the Light Bender, Cassegrain telescope optics are used to capture, concentrate and focus sunlight, while a Fresnel lens is used to align light beams for distribution to multiple sources at distances of 1 kilometer (0 , 62 miles) or more. This light is then collected by photovoltaic arrays 2 to 4 meters (~ 6.5 to 13 feet) in diameter that convert the sunlight into electricity.
In addition to habitats, the Light Bender can provide power to cryo-refrigeration units and mobile assets such as rovers.
This kind of array could also play an important role in creating vital infrastructure by supplying power to In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) elements, such as vehicles harvesting local regolith for use in 3D printer modules (which will use it to build-up of surface structures).
As Taylor described in his NIAC Phase I proposal statement, “This concept is superior to alternatives such as highly inefficient Laser Power Beaming, as it converts light to electricity only once, and to traditional power distribution architectures that rely on mass-intensive cables. The value Light Bender’s proposal is a ~ 5x mass reduction compared to traditional technology solutions such as Laser Power Beaming or a distribution network based on high voltage cables. ”
But perhaps the greatest draw of such a system is the way it can distribute energy systems to permanently shaded craters of the lunar surface, which are common in the lunar southern polar region.
In the coming years, multiple space agencies – including NASA, ESA, Roscomos and the China National Space Agency (CNSA) – hope to establish sustainable habitats in the area through the presence of water ice and other resources.
The power the system provides is also comparable to the Kilopower concept, a proposed nuclear fission energy system designed to allow for extended stays on the moon and other bodies.
This system will reportedly deliver 10 kilowatts of electrical power (kWe) – the equivalent of a thousand watts of electrical power.
“In the original design, the primary mirror captures the equivalent of nearly 48 kWe of sunlight,” Taylor writes. “End-user electrical power will depend on distance from primary collection point, but back-of-envelope analyzes suggest at least 9kWe of continuous power will be available within 1 km.”
In addition, Taylor emphasizes that the total amount of power the system can generate is scalable.
Basically it can be increased by simply changing the size of the primary collection element, the size of the receiving elements, the distance between nodes, or simply by increasing the total number of solar panels on the surface. As time passes and more infrastructure is added to a region, the system can scale to adapt.
As with all proposals selected for Phase I of the NIAC 2021 program, Taylor’s concept will receive a NASA grant of up to $ 125,000.
All Phase I Fellows are now in an initial nine-month feasibility study period, during which the designers will evaluate various aspects of their designs and address foreseeable issues that may affect the operation of the concepts once they become active in the South Pole-Aitken basin .
In particular, Taylor will focus on how to improve the optical lens based on different designs, materials and coatings that would result in acceptable levels of light propagation.
He will also assess how the lens can be designed to deploy autonomously once it reaches the lunar surface. Possible methods for autonomous deployment will be the subject of further research.
Following the design / feasibility study, an evaluation of architectural alternatives to Light Bender will be conducted in the context of a lunar base near the lunar south pole during long-term operations on the lunar surface.
The most important figure of merit is to minimize the landed mass. Comparisons will be made with known energy distribution technologies such as cables and laser beam.
After these feasibility studies are completed, the Light Bender and other Phase I Fellows can apply for Phase II awards. Jenn Gustetic, the director of early innovations and partnerships within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), said:
NIAC Fellows are known to envision dreams and technologies that may seem bordering on science fiction and unlike research funded by other agency programs. We do not expect all of them to be realized, but recognize that providing a small amount of seed funding for early research could greatly benefit NASA in the long run. “
This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.