Strategies of developing advanced lunar power systems

Electric and thermal power have to be available at the base site on the lunar surface before the first lunar crew arrives. Unlimited solar energy is available during the lunar day, but this must be stored for use during the lunar night unless nuclear energy systems are available. State-of-the-art candidate systems are reviewed and the production of solar cells on the moon is discussed. Various options for developing a lunar power plant are proposed. These must be simulated and optimized in a real lifecycle systems scenario to provide operations and cost data essential for choosing a strategy.     

Recent advances in lunar base simulation

This article reports about the results of the latest computer runs of a lunar base simulation model. The lunar base consists of 20 facilities for lunar mining, processing and fabrication. The infrastructure includes solar and nuclear power plants, a central workshop, habitat and farm. Lunar products can be used for construction of solar power systems (SPS) or other spacecraft at several space locations. The simulation model evaluates the mass, energy and manpower flows between the elements of the system as well as system cost and cost of products on an annual basis for a given operational period. The 1983 standard model run over a fifty-years life cycle (beginning about the year 2000) was accomplished for a mean annual production volume of 78 180 Mg of hardware products for export resulting in average specific manufacturing cost of 8.4 $/kg and total annual cost of 1.25 billion dollars during the life cycle. The reference space transportation system uses LOX/LH₂ propulsion for which at the average 210 500 Mg LOX per year is produced on the moon. The sensitivity analysis indicates the importance of bootstrapping as well as the influence of market size, space transportation cost and specific resources demand on the mean lunar manufacturing cost. The option using lunar resources turns out to be quite attractive from the economical viewpoint. Systems analysis by this lunar base model and further trade-offs will be a useful tool to confirm this.     

Heat storage and electricity generation in the Moon during the lunar night

One of the biggest challenges of the exploration of the Moon is the survival of the crew and the lunar assets during the lunar night. The environmental conditions on the lunar surface and its cycle, with long periods of darkness, make any long mission in need of specific amounts of heat and electricity to be successful. We have analyzed two different systems to produce heat and electricity on the Moon's surface. The first system consists of Thermal Wadis, sources of thermal power that can be used to supply heat to protect the exploration systems from the extreme cold during periods of darkness. Previous results showed that Wadis can supply enough heat to keep lunar devices such as rovers above their minimum operating temperature (approximately 243 K). The second system studied here is the Thermal Energy Storage (TES), which is able to run a heat engine during the lunar night to produce electricity. When the Sun is shining on the Moon's surface, the system can run the engine directly using the solar power and simultaneously heat a thermal mass. This thermal mass is used as a high temperature source to run the heat engine during the night. We present analytical and numerical calculations for the determination of an appropriate thermal mass for the TES system.     

月面巡视探测器太阳帆板热电耦合仿真计算

文章建立了月面巡视探测器太阳帆板热电耦合计算模型,制定了太阳帆板的对日定向方案和输出电能分配方案。通过数值模拟获得了月面白昼期间太阳帆板的温度及电能输出,分析了太阳帆板背面包覆隔热材料前后及帆板是否对日定向的计算结果。计算表明:当帆板不对日定向时,其背面包覆隔热材料对其温度及电能输出无明显影响;对日定向时,帆板温度随时间的分布规律发生了明显改变,此时帆板背面包覆隔热材料使其温度明显上升,但帆板正面与背面的温差减小。     

月面巡视探测器太阳帆板热电耦合仿真计算

文章建立了月面巡视探测器太阳帆板热电耦合计算模型,制定了太阳帆板的对日定向方案和输出电能分配方案,通过数值模拟获得了月面白昼期间太阳帆板的温度及电能输出,分析了太阳帆板背面包覆隔热材料前后及帆板是否对日定向等方案的计算结果。计算表明,当帆板不对日定向时其背面包覆隔热材料对其温度场及电能输出无明显影响,对日定向时帆板温度随时间的分布规律发生了明显改变,此时帆板背面包覆隔热材料使其温度明显上升,但帆板顶面与背面的温差减小。     

月尘累积对太阳电池阵电帘除尘效率影响的实验研究

月尘在月球探测器太阳电池阵表面的累积将会导致其输出功率下降甚至功能失效。近年来,电帘除尘方法被认为是月尘清除防护的有效手段。文章实验研究了月尘累积对三结砷化镓太阳电池性能影响,拟合得到了月尘累积质量与太阳电池相对输出功率的数学模型;利用电帘除尘装置,研究了不同月尘累积质量下电帘的除尘效率。研究结果表明,6 mg/cm2月尘累积质量是太阳电池阵电帘除尘装置启动的最佳工作条件。该研究成果可为开发具有自适应除尘能力的太阳电池阵提供技术支持。     

Integrating advanced mobility into lunar surface exploration

With growing knowledge of the lunar surface environment from recent robotic missions, further assessment of human lunar infrastructures and operational aspects for surface exploration become possible. This is of particular interest for the integration of advanced mobility assets, where path planning, balanced energy provision and consumption as well as communication coverage grow in importance with the excursion distance. The existing modeling and simulation tools for the lunar surface environment have therefore been revisited and extended to incorporate aspects of mobile exploration. An extended analysis of the lunar topographic models from past and ongoing lunar orbital missions has resulted in the creation of a tool to calculate and visualize slope angles in selected lunar regions. This allows for the identification of traversable terrain with respect to the mobile system capabilities. In a next step, it is combined with the analysis of the solar illumination conditions throughout this terrain to inform system energy budgets in terms of electrical power availability and thermal control requirements. The combination of the traversability analysis together with a time distributed energy budget assessment then allows for a path planning and optimization for long range lunar surface mobility assets, including manned excursions as well as un-crewed relocation activities. The above mentioned tools are used for a conceptual analysis of the international lunar reference architecture, developed in the frame of the International Architecture Working Group (IAWG) of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG). Its systems capabilities are evaluated together with the planned surface exploration range and paths in order to analyze feasibility of the architecture and to identify potential areas of optimization with respect to time-based and location-based integration of activities.     

100 kWe月面核电站方案研究

随着太空探索活动的深入开展,在月球表面建立有人基地成为必然选择。与常规化学能或太阳能相比,月面核电源具有诸多优点,是月球基地的最佳能源选择之一。本文提出了电功率100 kWe的核反应堆电源系统方案,给出了该方案的关键系统参数。针对反应堆模块,展开方案选型、参数优化、常规物理参数分析、初步热工分析和特种临界安全分析等工作。计算结果显示:燃料包壳温度小于使用限值,掉落事故工况下有效增值因数均小于0.98。该设计方案满足各项技术指标和设计准则。     

Rapid assessment of radiobiological doses for terrestrial and interplanetary space missions

This paper presents the doses levels expected in orbits in chart form, covering the range 300-800 km of altitude and 0-90 degrees of inclination behind shieldings similar to the Hermes spacecraft and the EVA spacesuit matter distributions. These charts allow users to rapidly find the radiobiological dose received in the most critical organs of the human body either in normal situations or during a large solar event. Outside the magnetosphere, during interplanetary or lunar missions, when the dose received during crossing of the radiation belts become negligible, the dose is due to galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar flares. The correct radiobiological assessment of the components of this radiation field becomes a major problem. On the Moon a permanent ground-based station can be shielded by lunar materials against meteoroids and radiations. The radiobiological hazard, essentially linked to the solar flare risk during the transfer phase and the extra-station activities, may be solved by mission planning. For interplanetary flights the problem comes from both increased risk of solar events and from the continuous exposure to GCR. These energetic particles cannot be easily stopped by shieldings; cost considerations imply that more effective materials must be used. Impact on the vehicle design and the mission planning is important.     

Space light: space industrial enhancement of the solar option

The solar option can be enhanced significantly by space light technology. Reflectors in suitable orbits beam to Earth measured amounts of sunlight, the most versatile and bio-compatible energy source. The multitude of space light functions ranges from night illumination of rural and urban areas (by Lunetta systems) to photosynthetic production enhancement for the growth of food and of biomass for conversion to chemical fuels, local agricultural irradiation for crop drying and weather stabilization and to electric power generation by irradiating suitable photovoltaic or thermal ground receivers at night or by adding to the natural solar energy input during daytime (Soletta systems).

The Lunetta and Soletta concepts, developed by the author during the past ten years, building on the foundations laid by the great space pioneer Prof. H. Oberth (1928), are reviewed, along with their socio-economic merits. An assessment of terrestrial alternatives shows that many useful functions have no practical alternative, the major exception being electric power generation. Three systems are selected, bracketing the broad versatility of space light—Lunetta, Powersoletta and a large Biosoletta for large-scale seafood production in Antarctic and Artic waters. The systems, and several maintenance and supply requirements are described, sized and analyzed, along with suitable orbit selection for different applications. Models are developed for rural and urban area lighting, power generation at selected sites around the globe with photovoltaic and thermal ground stations and for the large-scale production of seafood at high southern and northern latitudes with ample nutrient upwell, but insufficient annual supply of solar energy. The economics of these systems is analyzed.     

Lunar precursor missions for human exploration of Mars--III: studies of system reliability and maintenance

Discussions of future human expeditions into the solar system generally focus on whether the next explorers ought to go to the Moon or to Mars. The only mission scenario developed in any detail within NASA is an expedition to Mars with a 500-day stay at the surface. The technological capabilities and the operational experience base required for such a mission do not now exist nor has any self-consistent program plan been proposed to acquire them. In particular, the lack of an Abort-to-Earth capability implies that critical mission systems must perform reliably for 3 years or must be maintainable and repairable by the crew. As has been previously argued, a well-planned program of human exploration of the Moon would provide a context within which to develop the appropriate technologies because a lunar expedition incorporates many of the operational elements of a Mars expedition. Initial lunar expeditions can be carried out at scales consistent with the current experience base but can be expanded in any or all operational phases to produce an experience base necessary to successfully and safely conduct human exploration of Mars.     

Probabilistic assessment of radiation risk for astronauts in space missions

Accurate estimations of the health risks to astronauts due to space radiation exposure are necessary for future lunar and Mars missions. Space radiation consists of solar particle events (SPEs), comprised largely of medium energy protons (less than several hundred MeV); and galactic cosmic rays (GCR), which include high-energy protons and heavy ions. While the frequency distribution of SPEs depends strongly upon the phase within the solar activity cycle, the individual SPE occurrences themselves are random in nature. A solar modulation model has been developed for the temporal characterization of the GCR environment, which is represented by the deceleration potential, ?. The risk of radiation exposure to astronauts as well as to hardware from SPEs during extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) or in lightly shielded vehicles is a major concern for radiation protection. To support the probabilistic risk assessment for EVAs, which could be up to 15% of crew time² on lunar missions, we estimated the probability of SPE occurrence as a function of solar cycle phase using a non-homogeneous Poisson model [1] to fit the historical database of measurements of protons with energy>30 MeV, Φ₃₀. The resultant organ doses and dose equivalents, as well as effective whole body doses, for acute and cancer risk estimations are analyzed for a conceptual habitat module and for a lunar rover during space missions of defined durations. This probabilistic approach to radiation risk assessment from SPE and GCR is in support of mission design and operational planning for future manned space exploration missions.     

立方星电源系统最大功率点跟踪优化控制方法

针对立方星在能量来源严重受限条件下如何提高太阳能利用率的难题,提出一种适用于立方星的集中供电式空间微电源架构(EPS),并设计基于改进粒子群优化算法的最大功率点跟踪(MPPT)控制策略来提升能量转换效率。首先,推导太阳电池阵列的数学模型,并根据太阳电池阵列的工作特性,提出电源系统最大功率点跟踪控制的物理系统实现结构。其次,设计基于改进粒子群优化(PSO)的最大功率点跟踪控制算法,并进行了数学仿真校验。最后,对所设计的电源系统架构进行了硬件实现和试验验证。地面试验结果表明,电源系统的太阳能最大转换效率可达95.5%。该电源系统成功应用于世界首颗12U立方星“翱翔之星”的飞行试验,在轨数据表明电源系统工作状态良好,为微纳卫星电源系统的设计提供了有益参考。     

驻波电帘除尘效率的实验研究

月尘将对在月球表面进行巡视探测的设备产生严重不利影响。文章分析了利用驻波电帘对探测器的太阳电池板进行尘埃清除和防护,给出了电帘表面的电场分布,颗粒在电帘表面的受力状态和起跳、跃移过程,通过实验测量给出了电帘结构各参数对除尘效率的影响,制备了自清洁演示系统,对电帘的能耗进行了测定;表明驻波电帘是月表探测任务中尘埃防护的有效方法。     

Space manufacturing in the construction of solar power satellites

This paper deals with ongoing research work concerning energy budget and cost of the solar Satellite Power System (SPS).The fundamental model of such a total system including ground and space facilities, transportation vehicles, power satellites and rectennas is presented. The main purpose of this model is to examine the applicability of different construction scenarios to allow comparison under nearly identical constraints.Using this model in a first attempt the blankets—meaning the main part of the space segment by weight, energy investment needs and cost—are chosen representatively for the energy and cost comparison of two construction alternatives of the same SPS concept. These construction alternatives are defined just by ground and space based manufacturing of the solar blankets, while all other subsystems, operations and the transportation profiles are considered to be kept the same.It can be shown that the energy “payback” time does not only depend on the SPS concept selected but also very much on the construction and implementation scenario. The cost comparison of these alternative approaches presents not very significant differences but advantages for the space manufacturing option with potential higher differences for a less conservative approach which may apply benefits of space manufacturing meaning, for example, considerable mass savings in space.Some preliminary results are discussed and an outlook is given over the next steps to be investigated, comprising the extension of the fundamental model to include use of lunar raw materials.     

Early commercial demonstration of space solar power using ultra-lightweight arrays

Space solar power shows great promise for future energy sources worldwide. Most central power stations operate with power capacity of 1000 MW or greater. Due to launch size limitations and specific power of current, rigid solar arrays, the largest solar arrays that have flown in space are around 50 kW. Thin-film arrays offer the promise of much higher specific power and deployment of array sizes up to several MW with current launch vehicles. An approach to early commercial applications for space solar power to distribute power to charge hand-held, mobile battery systems by wireless power transmission (WPT) from thin-film solar arrays in quasi-stationary orbits will be presented. Four key elements to this prototype will be discussed: (1) Space and near-space testing of prototype wireless power transmission by laser and microwave components including WPT space to space and WPT space to near-space HAA transmission demonstrations; (2) distributed power source for recharging hand-held batteries by wireless power transmission from MW space solar power systems; (3) use of quasi-geostationary satellites to generate electricity and distribute it to targeted areas; and (4) architecture and technology for ultra-lightweight thin-film solar arrays with specific energy exceeding 1 kW/kg. This approach would yield flight demonstration of space solar power and wireless power transmission of 1.2 MW. This prototype system will be described, and a roadmap will be presented that will lead to still higher power levels.     

太阳能飞行器能源昼夜闭环仿真分析

以能量为核心，建立太阳能飞行器的获能模型；通过对太阳能飞行器飞行剖面特点的分析，设计飞行过程中各个阶段的飞行方案，并建立相应的耗能模型；考虑目前储能电池技术水平，根据产能和耗能模型，建立储能模型，完成了能源闭环模型的设计；参照Zephyr 7太阳能无人机的结构参数对论文建立的模型进行了仿真分析，获取了飞行过程中能量变化规律，同时对飞行姿态进行优化。结果表明：通过对太阳能飞行器昼夜飞行高度的不同设置以及飞行姿态角的优化，太阳能飞行器可以实现跨昼夜持久飞行。     

Rationale and systems architecture for a near-term human lunar return

Early human missions to the Moon have landed on six different sites on the lunar surface. These have all been in the low-latitude regions of the near side of the Moon. Early missions were designed primarily to assure crew safety rather than for scientific value. While the later missions added increasingly more challenging science, they remained restricted to near-side, low-latitude sites. Since the 1970s, we have learned considerably more about lunar planetology and resources. A return within the next five to ten years can greatly stimulate future human space exploration activities. We can learn much more about the distribution of lunar resources, especially about hydrogen, hydrated minerals, and water ice because they appear to be abundant near the lunar poles. The presence of hydrogen opens the possibility of industrial use of lunar resources to provide fuel for space transportation throughout the solar system.This paper discusses the rationale for near-term return of human crews to the Moon, and the advantages to be gained by selecting the Moon as the next target for human missions beyond low-Earth orbit. It describes a systems architecture for early missions, including transportation and habitation aspects. Specifically, we describe a primary transportation architecture that emphasizes existing Earth-to-orbit transportation systems, using expendable launch vehicles for cargo delivery and the Space Shuttle and its derivatives for human transportation. Transfer nodes should be located at the International Space Station (ISS) and at the Earth-Moon L1 (libration point).Each of the major systems is described, and the requisite technology readiness is assessed. These systems include Earth-to-orbit transportation, lunar transfer, lunar descent and landing, surface habitation and mobility, and return to Earth. With optimum reliance on currently existing space systems and a technology readiness assessment, we estimate the minimum development time required and perform order-of-magnitude cost estimates of a near-term human lunar mission.     

Scientific investigations at a lunar base.

Scientific investigations to be carried out at a lunar base can have significant impact on the location, extent, and complexity of lunar surface facilities. Among the potential research activities to be carried out are: (1) Lunar Science: Studies of the origin and history of the Moon and early solar system, based on lunar field investigations, operation of networks of seismic and other instruments, and collection and analysis of materials; (2) Space Plasma Physics: Studies of the time variation of the charged particles of the solar wind, solar flares and cosmic rays that impact the Moon as it moves in and out of the magnetotail of the Earth; (3) Astronomy: Utilizing the lunar environment and stability of the surface to emplace arrays of astronomical instruments across the electromagnetic spectrum to improve spectral and spatial resolution by several orders of magnitude beyond the Hubble Space Telescope and other space observatories; (4) Fundamental physics and chemistry: Research that takes advantage of the lunar environment, such as high vacuum, low magnetic field, and thermal properties to carry out new investigations in chemistry and physics. This includes material sciences and applications; (5) Life Sciences: Experiments, such as those that require extreme isolation, highly sterile conditions, or very low natural background of organic materials may be possible; and (6) Lunar environmental science: Because many of the experiments proposed for the lunar surface depend on the special environment of the Moon, it will be necessary to understand the mechanisms that are active and which determine the major aspects of that environment, particularly the maintenance of high-vacuum conditions. From a large range of experiments, investigations and facilities that have been suggested, three specific classes of investigations are described in greater detail to show how site selection and base complexity may be affected: (1) Extended geological investigation of a complex region up to 250 kilometers from the base requires long range mobility, with transportable life support systems and laboratory facilities for the analysis of rocks and soil. Selection of an optimum base site would depend heavily on an evaluation of the degree to which science objectives could be met. These objectives could include lunar cratering, volcanism, resource surveys or other investigations; (2) An astronomical observatory initially instrumented with a VLF radio telescope, but later expanding to include other instruments, requires site preparation capability, "line shack" life support systems, instrument maintenance and storage facilities, and sortie mode transportation. A site perpetually shielded from Earth is optimum for the advanced stages of a lunar observatory; (3) an experimental physics laboratory conducting studies requiring high vacuum facilities and heavily instrumented experiments, is not highly dependent on lunar location, but will require much more flexibility in experiment operation and EVA capability, and more sophisticated instrument maintenance and fabrication facilities.     

Dose estimates in a lunar shelter with regolith shielding

Beyond the Earth's atmosphere, galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and solar energetic particles (SEPs) are a significant hazard to both manned and robotic missions. For long human missions on the lunar surface (months to a year) a radiation shelter is needed for dose mitigation and emergency protection in case of solar events. This paper investigates the interaction of source protons of solar events like those of February 1956 that emitted many fewer particles with energies up to 1000 MeV and of the October 1989 event of lower protons energy but higher fluence, with the lunar regolith and aluminum shielding of a lunar shelter. The shelter is 5 m in diameter and has a footprint of 5×8 m and a 10 cm thick aluminum support structure, however, actual thickness could be much smaller (～1–2 cm) depending on the weight of the regolith shielding piled on top. The regolith is shown to be slightly more effective than aluminum. Thus, the current results are still applicable for a thinner aluminum structure and increased equivalent (or same mass) thickness of the regolith. The shielding thicknesses to reduce the dose solely due to solar protons in the lunar shelter below those recommended by NASA to astronauts for 30 day-operation in space (250 mSv) and for radiation workers (50 mSv) are determined and compared. The relative attenuation of incident solar protons with regolith shielding and the dose estimates inside the shelter are calculated for center seeking, planar, and isotropic incidence of the source protons. With the center seeking incidence, the dose estimates are the highest, followed by those with isotropic incidence, and the lowest are those with the planar incidence.