Ultralight, Compact, Deployable, High-Performance Solar Concentrator Array for Lunar Surface Power

摘要

In NASA’s ambitious vision for space exploration, return visits to the moon are the initial focus. While these missions are not well defined other than in contractor system study reports, a common theme is to return to the lunar polar regions to search for primordial ice deposits initially, then expand the landings across the lunar surface including the rear side of the moon. In the early stages the missions will last from four to fourteen days, to avoid the challenge of energy storage over the nighttime. While these early missions anticipate the use of fuel cells to provide electrical energy to the landers and crew, it is likely that solar arrays will also become a major power source as well. These arrays should have the following characteristics: high efficiency, light weight, high packaging density and be able to withstand the broad temperature swings on the moon. In addition, for those robotic missions that will explore the permanently dark polar craters, it is possible that beamed laser power may be an option to radioisotope powered rovers. Of course beamed laser power may also be applicable to providing power over the nighttime. In this study, we will use the Stretched Lens Array on the SquareRigger platform as the basis (SLASR). At the present time this design has the following characteristics: specific power – 300 W/kg, areal power density – 300 W/m, stowed power – 80 kW/m and capable of high voltage (>600 V) operation. Figure 1 shows a 2.5 x 5 m full scale building block module of the SLASR. This module is sized to produce 3.75 kW and weighs only about 10 kg. These current benchmarks will be projected to the 2015 improvements in cell and array technologies for a 25-30 kW increase beyond 500 W/kg and similar improvements wi parameters. One critical aspect of the study is the operating Figure 1: Full scale SLASR module time frame with known array. Specific power will ll be shown in the other temperature on the moon.