We could make solar panels on the moon by melting lunar dust

Harnessing Lunar Resources: Moon Dust for On-Site Solar Cell Production

Utilizing materials readily available on the moon to construct infrastructure is emerging as a more efficient strategy than transporting resources from Earth. Scientists are exploring the potential of lunar dust, or regolith, to create solar cells directly on the moon, paving the way for self-sustaining lunar bases. This innovative approach to space exploration could revolutionize how we power future lunar missions and habitats.

Developing Solar Cells from Moon Dust

The concept of in-situ resource utilization for lunar construction gained traction when Felix Lang at the University of Potsdam, Germany, envisioned creating solar cells from moon dust. “It was like, ‘We have to fabricate a solar cell using this method, immediately’,” Lang stated, highlighting the immediate appeal of the idea.

After two years of research, Lang’s team successfully developed and tested several solar cells incorporating moon dust as a key component. The other crucial element is halide perovskite, a crystal composed of elements such as lead, bromine, and iodine, along with carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen-based molecules.

The Moonglass Innovation

Researchers created “moonglass” by melting a synthetic version of lunar regolith, the loose layer of rock and dust covering the moon’s surface. This moonglass was then layered with the perovskite crystal to complete the solar cell structure. Importantly, the regolith was used without purification, resulting in a less transparent moonglass compared to conventional solar cell materials. Despite this, Lang reported that their prototype solar cells achieved approximately 12 percent efficiency.

While standard perovskite solar cells typically reach efficiencies closer to 26 percent, Lang’s team believes their design has significant potential for improvement. Computer simulations suggest that similar efficiency levels are achievable with further refinement.

Advantages of Perovskite Solar Cells in Space

Experts generally concur that perovskite solar cells offer superior performance compared to traditional silicon-based devices for both terrestrial and space applications. The use of perovskite materials is particularly advantageous for lunar applications due to their potential for thinness, minimizing the weight of materials transported to the moon. The team estimates that a 400 square meter solar cell would require only around one kilogram of perovskite, a claim described as “impressive” by Ian Crawford at Birkbeck, University of London.

Simplified Manufacturing Process

Eliminating the need to purify the regolith is a crucial advantage, as it removes the requirement for specialized reactors in the manufacturing process. Lang suggests that a large curved mirror focusing sunlight could generate sufficient heat to produce moonglass. A colleague successfully tested this technique on a university rooftop, observing initial signs of regolith melting.

Nicholas Bennett at the University of Technology Sydney notes that previous research focused on processing lunar regolith into transparent glass. This study marks the first demonstration of a functional solar cell utilizing the less demanding moonglass. The next challenge, according to Bennett, is scaling up moonglass production beyond the laboratory setting. 成功地实现大规模生产后，这种熔融技术可能有助于制造月球基地所需的其他物品，例如tile”, Crawford added.

Future Implications and Expansion to Mars

Michael Duke at the Lunar and Planetary Institute acknowledges that establishing moonglass-based solar cell manufacturing involves overcoming numerous technological hurdles, from regolith excavation to connecting individual cells into arrays. However, the establishment of a solar cell factory on the moon could yield substantial benefits. Space-based systems, such as satellites, could potentially utilize moon-manufactured solar cells instead of Earth-produced ones, capitalizing on the reduced energy requirements for launches from the moon, Duke explains.

Lang and his team are currently focused on enhancing the efficiency of their solar cells. One avenue of investigation involves using magnets to remove iron from the regolith before melting to potentially improve the moonglass quality.

Looking ahead, the researchers aim to extend this technology to other celestial bodies. “We are already considering, ‘Can we adapt this for Mars regolith?’” Lang concluded, indicating the broader applicability of their approach to utilizing extraterrestrial resources.