In less than three years, astronauts will return to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo Era era. As part of the Artemis Program, the purpose is not just to send crew missions back to the lunar surface to study and collect samples.
This time, there is also a goal to establish critical infrastructure (such as Lunar Gate and Basic Camp) that will allow for “sustainable lunar exploration.”
The key requirement of this ambitious plan is the supply of power, which can be difficult in regions such as the South Pole-Aitken Basin – a scattered area under permanent shadow.
To address this, a researcher from NASA’s Langley Research Center named Charles Taylor has proposed a novel concept called “Light Bender.” Using telescope optics, this system would capture and transmit sunlight on the Moon.
The Light Bender concept was one of 16 proposals selected for Phase I of NASA’s 2021 Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, which is led by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Steering Group (STMD).
Like previous NIAC submissions, these selected proposals represent a wide range of innovative ideas that could help advance NASA’s space exploration objectives.
In this case, the Light Bender proposal addresses the needs of astronauts who will be part of Artemis’ missions and the subsequent “long-term human lunar surface command”.
The design for Taylor’s concept was inspired by the heliostat, a device that adapts to compensate for the visible movement of the sun in the sky so that it reflects sunlight toward a target.
As for the Light Bender, the Cassegrain telescope optics are used to capture, focus and target sunlight while a Fresnel lens is used to align light to transmit them to multiple sources located at distances of 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) or more. This light is then obtained by photovoltaic arrays measuring 2 to 4 meters (~ 6.5 to 13 feet) in diameter that convert sunlight into electricity.
In addition to habitats, the Light Bender is capable of powering cryo cooling units and mobile assets such as rovers.
This type of area could also play an important role in creating critical infrastructure by powering In-Situ Facility Utilization (ISRU) elements, such as vehicles harvesting local regolith for use in the 3-D printer modules (which they use to build surface structures).
As Taylor explained in his NIAC Stage I recommendation statement: “This concept is superior to other options such as inefficient laser power transmission, as it converts light to electricity only once, and to architecture. traditional power circuits that rely on high-intensity cables. The value of the Light Bender recommendation is a significant reduction of ~ 5x in mass over traditional technology solutions such as Laser Power Beaming or a circuit network based on high voltage power cables. “
But perhaps the greatest attraction to such a system is the way in which it can distribute power systems to a permanent shadow of the lunar surface, which is common in the lunar south pole region.
In the coming years, several space agencies – including NASA, ESA, Roscomos, and the China National Space Agency (CNSA) – hope to establish long-term habitats in the region due to water ice and resources. another there.
The level of power the system provides is also comparable to the concept of Kilopower, a proposed nuclear power transmission system designed to allow long stays on the Moon and other bodies.
Reportedly, this system will provide a power capacity of 10 Kilowatt-electric (kWe) – the equivalent of one thousand watts of electrical capacity.
“In the original design, the primary mirror captures the equivalent of nearly 48 kWe of sunlight,” Taylor wrote. “End-user electric power depends on the distance from the main collection point, but the background of the envelope analyzes suggests that at least 9kWe of continuous power will be available within 1 km.”
In addition, Taylor asserts that the total power that the system can generate is scalable.
Basically, it can be increased by simply changing the size of the main collection element, the size of the collection elements, the distance between nodes, or by simply increasing the total number of surface sunlight collectors. As time goes on and more infrastructure is added to an area, the system can change to adapt.
Like 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 a nine-month feasibility study period, during which the designers evaluate various aspects of their designs and address potential problems. activity could affect the concepts once they are operational in the South Pole-Aitken Pool.
In particular, Taylor will focus on how the optical lens could be developed based on a different design, materials and coverage that would provide appropriate levels of light propagation.
It also evaluates how the lens could be designed in such a way that it can be used independently once it reaches the lunar surface. Possible approaches to autonomous use will be the subject of subsequent studies.
Following the design / feasibility study, alternative architectural options for Light Bender will be evaluated in the context of a lunar base adjacent to the south pole of the moon during continuous lunar surface work.
The main merit figure is to reduce land mass. It will be compared to well-known power circulation technologies such as cables and laser power carriers.
Following the completion of these feasibility studies, Light Bender and other Phase I Relatives will be able to apply for Stage II awards. Jenn Gustetic, NASA’s director of early stage innovations and partnerships within the Space Technology Mission Steering Group (STMD), said:
“NIAC affiliates are known to be dreaming of great technologies that suggest the potential of emerging frontier science fiction and are unlike research funded by other agency programs. We are not We expect them all to come to fruition but we recognize that they provide some seed- funding for early research could be of great benefit to NASA in the long run. “
This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.