STEVE HUANG
Future Application
Powering Lunar Exploration
How might we be inspired by nature on earth for space exploration?
We can introduce plant inspired soft robotics mechanisms into critical components such as solar panel controls to aid human exploration in space through increasing sustainability.
NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV)
Infrastructure Investment on Sustainable Architectural Systems
With the new “Space Race”, starting with the Artemis Program, agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been venturing into compact energy efficient systems to power lunar exploration, and eventually establish a permanent base on the moon.
The Artemis Program brings much incentive for companies to invest in compact and efficient systems of harvesting energy.
Difficulty in Harvesting Power
50° Ls
6° Ls
A study by the NASA Scientific and Technical Information program at the Glenn Research Center identified that the energy storage period at the target exploration site (indicated as “Site A1”, a crater, in the study) occurs during the solar sublongitudinal angle (Ls) between 6 to 50° (solar sublongitudinal angle indicates the angle of sunlight, starting with 0° when the sun is directly overhead).
Even at 50°, the crater sees much shadowing, causing a decrease in solar harvesting efficiency. at 6°, majority of the crater is shadowed, with solar energy being harvested from the sunlight reflected from the crater wall. (Shown in the figures)
This difficulty in harvesting crucial solar power shows the need to utilize multiple sources of optimized harvesting technology to maximize ways astronauts can charge important equipment.
Integrating Solar Harvesting Technology onto the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV)
To address the low angle of sunlight on moon, the solar panels will have to continuously tilt to face the sunlight in order to maximize the power efficiency, which can be resolved by utilization of the hydraulic honeycomb mechanism.
This can be further optimized through integrating a light sensor to detect the angle of sunlight
Contracted
Expanded
