Lockheed Martin’s Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) is tested in a high bay
Image: Lockheed Martin
The American defense and space manufacturer Lockheed Martin is developing Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) to be deployed on the moon.
A statement on the company’s website says that the VSAT has the opportunity to offer continuous and sustainable power and will be fundamental for various moon operations.
Certain locations of the South Pole of the Moon receive sunlight for 80% to 90% of the time, but the sun is floating low on the horizon, which means that future solar arrays that are used on the moon must be efficient in capturing sunlight under certain angles.
Lockheed Martin says that his VSAT is tackling this challenge through his vertical structure, which reaches until 19.8 m.
The technology has already been tested on earth in circumstances that simulate the gravity of the moon. It has also been tested to withstand different surfaces and slopes, to mirror the unequal terrain of the surface of the satellite, as well as extreme low temperatures.
Lockheed Martin foresees that the solar array supports activities, including the supply of energy to lifestyle systems, lighting and other essential functions within moon habitats, charging lunar robbers and other vehicles that are essential for exploration and power systems that extract and process local resources.
In 2022, Lockheed Martin was selected by NASA as one of three companies to promote work in solar -Array systems that are capable of autonomous vertical implementation and withdrawal for relocation to the moon.
A recent research paper by German scientists suggest that the power generation for future habitats on the moon can be achieved by producing the production of Halide Perovskiet cells locally, using Regolith-based Moonglass.
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