By Andy Tomaswick
March 14, 2025
Photo voltaic Energy Satellite tv for pc (SPS) advocates have been dreaming of utilizing house assets to construct huge constructions for many years. In-space Useful resource Utilization (ISRU) advocates would like to oblige them, however to this point, there hasn’t but been sufficient growth on both entrance to create a testable system. A analysis group from an organization known as MetaSat and the College of Glasgow hope to alter that with a brand new plan known as META-LUNA, which makes use of lunar assets to construct (and recycle) a fleet of their specifically designed SPS.
Let’s begin with that SPS. The Multi-domain Operations utilizing Quickly-responsive PHased Power Universally Synchronized (MORPHEUS) SPS system is a “sandwich-type,” that means the photo voltaic panels are on one aspect of the satellite tv for pc, the electronics to transform the electrical energy from photo voltaic panels right into a microwave are within the center, and the microwave transmitters are on the opposite aspect—like a sandwich.
In response to the MetaSat authors of a latest paper, which was introduced on the Worldwide Astronautical Congress in October, it’s the first SPS system to endure a mixture of “eco-design rules” and life-cycle evaluation (LCA), which is usually used on Earth to amount the environmental impression of a bit of expertise. After they did the LCA on MORPHEUS, the authors discovered that the numbers did not look good. It required vital assets to assemble on the Earth after which much more assets to launch its huge bulk into house. Merely making up for the power to get it into place to begin producing its power would take years to repay.
Reflectors are one SPS mannequin that might present virtually limitless power.
So, the authors determined to take a unique method – construct it out of supplies already accessible in house – significantly on the Moon. The Moon is roofed in a substance often known as “regolith” down to a couple meters. It consists of fragments of rocks from the Moon’s floor that had been blasted about by meteoroid impacts, which already created supplies known as “agglutinates,” that are mainly melted glass particles that include an agglomeration of supplies. It is usually terribly abrasive and might trigger potential long-term well being issues for people or upkeep issues for machines.
Nonetheless, it has helpful supplies, and META-LUNA plans to make use of them to construct MORPHEUS energy satellites mechanically. The paper describes, admittedly at a really excessive degree, the important thing elements wanted to construct not solely a totally autonomous manufacturing line for the assorted elements of an SPS but in addition extra items of the manufacturing facility itself, permitting it to develop over time in a method that may be acquainted to John von Neumann.
Using available supplies within the regolith, like silicon and aluminum, and superior 3D printing methods, an autonomous manufacturing facility on the Moon may, in idea, no less than produce virtually all of what the MORPHEUS SPS would want. It will even be able to making its personal propellant to launch the SPS elements into lunar orbit.
SPS is coming – it is only a matter of time, in response to Isaac Arthur.
Credit score – Isaac Arthur YouTube Channel
One obvious exception although, is superior microcontrollers generally used for management and communication. These, assumedly, must be made on Earth after which flown to the Moon, although there isn’t any detailed dialogue within the paper of how that may work. Fortunately, microcontrollers are mild, and just a few kilograms may provide vital components for the automated manufacturing facility.
One other essential issue is that the manufacturing facility can recycle the SPSes themselves. The paper describes getting them again into lunar orbit through the use of a collection of tugs which might be additionally used to tug the unique satellite tv for pc from lunar orbit to Earth orbit after which disassembling them on the identical on-orbit building yard used to assemble the components. Nonetheless, the paper does not describe easy methods to get the disassembled satellites again right down to the floor, the place they could possibly be scavenged with out inflicting a large mud explosion.
The environmental modeling from this completely different structure seems to be vastly superior to the unique LCA executed on the Earth-constructed MORPHEUS – which comes as no shock as there isn’t any atmosphere to disturb on the Moon, and the power price of launching one thing to geostationary Earth orbit is dramatically diminished. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless an extended strategy to go earlier than any of the applied sciences essential to make it occur can be found. Because the authors describe, advances in robotics and AI expertise carry this dream nearer each day. However, the true melding of SPSes and ISRU remains to be a good distance off.
Study Extra:
H Oqab et al – META-LUNA: Disruptive ISRU for building future solar power satellites
UT – What’s ISRU, and How Will it Assist Human Area Exploration?
UT – What Position Will NASA Play In Growing ISRU On The Moon?
UT – New NASA Report Suggests We May See Area-Based mostly Energy After 2050
