via European Space Agency
The concept of gathering some of the unlimited sunlight available in space, then transmitting it down to users, was first developed to serve the clean energy needs of planet Earth. But Space-Based Solar Power can also work for the Moon.
As part of ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform Campaign on ‘Clean Energy – New Ideas for Solar Power from Space’, a study undertaken by Switzerland’s Astrostrom company designed a Greater Earth Lunar Power Station, or GEO-LPS for short.
The study envisages a solar power satellite constructed mainly from lunar resources (including Moon-manufactured solar cells) that could deliver megawatts of microwave power down to receivers on the lunar surface, serving the needs of surface activities, including future crewed bases.
Taking inspiration from a butterfly, GEO-LPS feature V-shaped solar panels with integrated antennas, deployed in a helix configuration extending more than a square kilometre end to end. The design would yield continuous 23 megawatts of energy for lunar surface operations. The solar panels themselves are based on iron pyrite monograin-layer solar cells produced on the Moon.
Located at an Earth-Moon Lagrange point around 61 350 km from the lunar surface, the station itself would also be inhabited. It would serve as a gateway between Earth and Moon operations, providing artificial gravity for adaptive health purpose to potentially become an attractive tourist destination in its own right – as well as a prototype for further space settlements in cislunar space.
This visionary study lays out a potential future for large-scale and more environmentally-friendly solar power satellite production in the longer-term if ESA’s SOLARIS R&D initiative confirms the feasibility of Space-based Solar Power for serving terrestrial clean energy needs.
“Launching large numbers of gigawatt-scale solar power satellites into orbit from the surface of the Earth would run into the problem of a lack of launch capacity as well as potentially significant atmospheric pollution,” explains Sanjay Vijendran, overseeing SOLARIS. “But once a concept like GEO-LPS has proven the component manufacturing processes and assembly concept of a solar power satellite in lunar orbit, it can then be scaled up to produce further solar power satellites from lunar resources to serve Earth.”
Such lunar-made solar power satellites would require around five times less velocity change to place them into geostationary Earth orbit compared to satellites launched from Earth itself.
Sanjay adds: “This would also create many other benefits in addition to providing sufficient clean energy for Earth, including the development of a cislunar transportation system, mining, processing, and manufacturing facilities on the Moon and in orbit resulting in a two-planet economy and the birth of a spacefaring civilisation.”
Investigating the technical and financial feasibility of the concept, the study found that GEO-LPS could be achieved without requiring any technological breakthroughs. Most of the core technologies for lunar surface mining, beneficiation and fabrication operations are already in use or under development on Earth today. These technologies could be extrapolated and adapted to the lunar environment, delivered in modular form and managed telerobotically on the Moon’s surface.
Although substantial engineering development would be required, the study found that solar power satellites produced on the Moon would not only be cheaper than any comparable Earth-developed solar power satellite, but that the electricity generated for Earth would also be cost-competitive with any terrestrial power alternative.
Original Article: Lunar solar power satellite
More from: European Space Agency
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Space-based solar power
- ESA to present SOLARIS space-based solar initiative at London conference
The European Space Agency (ESA) will present an initiative aiming to deliver space-based solar power at a conference in London this week.
- European Space Agency mulling feasibility of space-based PV
The European Space Agency (ESA) is collaborating with policymakers, energy suppliers, and space companies under the Solaris initiative to assess the feasibility of space-based solar power. A decision ...
- ESA Plans To Build A Solar Power Plant In Space For Unlimited Energy Supply; Here's How It Will Work
The European Space Agency (ESA) wants to build a solar power plant in space to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The agency is pursuing this bold plan under project Solaris in order to ...
- Sky’s no limit: New Mexico’s role in space-based solar power
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) –Scientists have been sounding the alarm on climate change for years now. To maximize the yield of solar energy, they are now looking 250 miles above Earth for a technology that ...
- Space-based solar power may be one step closer to reality, thanks to this key test (video)
The demonstrator is a key component of the CASSIOPeiA space-based solar power plant concept that is being developed by Space Solar. The company envisions that CASSIOPeiA could be in space within a ...
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Greater Earth Lunar Power Station
- Scientists reveal wireless power transmission for lunar communication
A study proposes using satellites to wirelessly transmit power to the lunar far side, enabling future missions to the Moon's south pole.
- What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2024
These changes in appearance are the phases of the moon. As the moon orbits Earth, it cycles through eight distinct phases. The four primary phases of the moon (new moon, first quarter, full moon ...
- See the solar eclipse from SPACE: Watch the incredible moment the International Space Station flew into the Moon's shadow
Yesterday, around 32 million Americans were lucky enough to see the total solar eclipse from Earth ... the International Space Station (ISS) were able to film the moon's shadow as it plunged ...
- Away From Earth: Moon
All the Latest Game Footage and Images from Away From Earth: Moon Jump to: Tech | Gaming | Home | Lifestyle | Media The world is in danger. Our water is running out. Our world is running out.
- Do astronauts have to take extra precautions during solar eclipse 2024?
Monday’s total solar eclipse will be visible to astronauts aboard the International Space Station ... attention to the Earth to observe the shadow cast by the moon and sun to observe the ...