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Scientists have discovered a groundbreaking method to manufacture lunar solar cells directly on the moon using moon dust, also known as lunar regolith. This innovative approach could pave the way for sustainable energy solutions for future moon bases and lunar missions, potentially reducing reliance on terrestrial resources for space endeavors. The process involves transforming regolith into essential materials and components needed for solar energy harvesting in space.
Turning Moon Dust into Solar Power: A Lunar Breakthrough
Lunar regolith is emerging as a versatile resource, capable of yielding oxygen, titanium, and other valuable elements. It can also be solidified into bricks for constructing lunar habitats using “lunarcrete” as a binding agent. Now, researchers have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of converting lunar regolith into functional solar cells.
Felix Lang, from the University of Potsdam in Germany, stated, “From extracting water to fuel spacecraft to constructing habitats with lunar bricks, scientists are actively exploring uses for moon dust. Our latest research demonstrates that it can also be transformed into solar cells, potentially fulfilling the energy demands of a future moon settlement.”
Reducing Earth-Based Materials in Space
Conventional solar cells rely on glass produced on Earth, which adds considerable weight and increases the cost of space launches. Therefore, on-site manufacturing of solar cells utilizing lunar materials presents a highly desirable alternative for space-based energy generation.
Simulating Lunar Conditions for Solar Cell Creation
To validate this concept, Lang and his team conducted experiments using a lunar dust simulant. Obtaining actual lunar samples is challenging due to limited availability and their immense scientific value. Organizations like NASA’s Simulant Development Laboratory play a crucial role in creating various types of simulated lunar regolith. Regolith is the scientific term for the surface material of the moon, composed of dust and debris from impact events.
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The Moonglass Innovation
Lang’s team processed the simulated regolith by melting it to produce “moonglass.” This straightforward method requires minimal refinement and can be achieved by concentrating sunlight on the moon to generate the necessary high temperatures.
This moonglass is then combined with perovskite, a crystalline substance widely used in solar cells. Perovskite’s function is to absorb sunlight, which energizes electrons within its atomic structure. Subsequently, an electrode captures these energized electrons, generating an electric current.
Researchers at Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, have previously suggested a similar approach for constructing solar cells on the moon.
Advantages of Moonglass Solar Cells
Moonglass exhibits several advantages over conventional glass derived from terrestrial materials. In the space environment, standard glass tends to undergo browning, which diminishes its transparency to sunlight and reduces solar cell efficiency. Moonglass possesses a natural brown hue due to impurities in the regolith; this inherent tint prevents further browning. Furthermore, it demonstrates enhanced resistance to radiation, a critical factor considering the constant bombardment of cosmic rays in space.
Efficiency and Scalability of Lunar Solar Cells
The primary limitation of moonglass-based solar cells is their current efficiency. Traditional space-grade solar cells achieve an efficiency rate of 30% to 40%, indicating the percentage of sunlight converted into electricity. The current moonglass prototypes exhibit an efficiency of 10%. However, Lang’s team anticipates increasing efficiency to 23% by further purifying the moonglass.
Lang suggests that even with lower efficiency, the concept remains viable. “Ultra-efficient 30% solar cells are not essential; we can simply produce a larger quantity on the moon.” The benefits of lunar manufacturing are substantial, drastically reducing launch mass and transportation costs from Earth, potentially saving 99% of material transport weight.
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Further Research and Lunar Testing
Ongoing research is needed to address remaining challenges. Manufacturing solar cells from lunar simulant under Earth’s gravity differs significantly from production in lunar low gravity. The reduced gravity may impact moonglass formation. Additionally, the solvents used in perovskite processing could degrade in vacuum conditions, and the extreme temperature fluctuations between lunar day and night could affect the long-term stability of the solar cells due to material expansion and contraction.
To address these uncertainties, Lang’s team advocates for a small-scale lunar mission to rigorously test these solar cells in authentic lunar conditions. Successful deployment could revolutionize power generation for moon bases, enhancing the feasibility of long-term lunar settlements. A potential location for such a base is the moon’s south pole, which offers abundant water ice in permanently shadowed craters and near-constant sunlight, unlike other lunar regions with extended two-week-long nights that would disrupt solar-powered operations.
The findings of this research were published in the journal Device on April 3.