Lunar Power Peaks

1
Lunar Power Peaks

• Rajeev Shrestha
• ASTE 527

2
Power requirements

• Sources 2006 International Space University
  Study, 2005 NASA Glenn Report (Kerslake)

3
MM
150 km
Shackleton
400 km
Source U.S. Geological Survey
4
Concept

• Laser transmitters and photovoltaic receivers
• No towers, no cables
• Power from central base to outposts, mobile
  assets
• Receivers double as backup solar collectors

5
LASER
Source Jefferson Lab
6
Horizon

• R 1738 km
• Case 1 Peak-to-ground
• v1 8 km
• v2 0 km
• Max line of sight 167 km
• Case 2 Peak-to-peak
• v1 8 km
• v2 8 km
• Max line of sight 334 km

7
150 km
MM
MM
300 km
Shackleton
Shackleton
175 km
200 km
Source U.S. Geological Survey
8
Power Beaming Old News?

• 1968 SSP (Glaser)
• 1991 SELENE
• 2008 Mankins Experiment
• 2008 Powerbeam
• Difference
• No satellites
• Not solar
• Not from Earth
• kW not GW
• Distance (efficiency 1/r2)

Microwave power transmitters from Mankinss
experiment in May 2008.
9
Issues

• Size
• Mass
• Not TRL 9
• Installation on peaks
• Interference

10
Future Applications

• Global network
• Beaming to Earth
• Beaming to spacecrafts

11
References

• Bussey, et al. Lunar Polar Illumination What We
  Know What We Dont. The Johns Hopkins
  University Applied Physics Laboratory. Nov 2004.
• D. Cooke. Exploration System Mission Directorate
  Lunar Architecture Update. AIAA Space 2007. 20
  Sept 2007.
• International Space University. Luna Gaia A
  closed loop habitat for the moon. 2006.
• Mckay, McKay, and Duke. Space Resources Energy
  Power and Transport. Lyndon B. Johnson Space
  Center. 1992.
• P. D. Lowman Jr., B. L. Sharpe, and D. G. Shrunk.
  Moonbase Mons Malapert? Aerospace America. Oct.
  2008.
• R. J. De Young et al. Enabling Lunar and Space
  Missions by Laser Power Transmission. NASA
  Langley Research Center.
• T. W. Kerslake. Electric Power System Technology
  Options for Lunar Surface Missions. NASA Glenn
  Research Center. April 2005.

12
Backup Slides
13
South Pole Illumination
Source JHU/APL (Bussey et al.)
14
Distances

• Efficieny 1/r2
• Earth to Moon 360,000 410,000 km
• Earth GEO 36,000 km
• Min. orbit altitude for space-based power beaming
  on Moon 5000 km4
• Lunar synchronous 90,000 km
• Dist. b/t Shackleton Schrodinger lt400 km
• Dist. b/t Shackleton Mons Malapert 150 km
• Mankins experiment 148 km

15
Energy Storage

• Lithium-ion battery (90 kW-hr/kg)
• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Regenerative Fuel
  Cells (RFC)1
• 412 kW-hr/kg
• Expensive
• Insufficient TRL

16
Power Generation

• Habitat nuclear fission (depending on power
  requirements)
• Nuclear radiation protection
• Nearside observatory at Mons Malapert (light)
  photovoltaic
• Shackleton observatory (helio-observatory)
• Farside Infrared observatory in Schrodinger (in
  dark crater) power beaming to w/backup from fuel
  cells
• Rovers fuel cells recharged by power beaming
• Construction combustion w/photovoltaic or
  nuclear from main

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Benefits

• If nuclear based then save weight on inefficient
  solar cells
• Provide power to infrared telescope w/o cables
• Provide backup power to Shackleton during periods
  w/o sunlight
• Provide backup power to rovers
• Provide large scale testing of a power beaming
  system for future use on Earth or lunar global
  network
• Less power loss than cables
• No air to insulate bare wires
• Lunar soil has high iron concentration so cant
  bury cables
• Need to make insulated conduits
• Less mass than 300 km cables