Solar reflectors to light up Moon's permanently dark craters - Interesting Engineering

Solar reflectors to light up Moon’s permanently dark craters

An artistic representation of a solar reflector designed for Moon's shadowed craters.

The Moon’s polar regions have permanently shadowed craters, which may contain untapped resources that can have vast potential for mining.

However, they can’t be easily accessed as some craters are in complete shadow even during the lunar day.

Therefore, researchers are working to develop reflectors that will redirect solar power to the Moon’s craters.

Solar reflectors on Moon

Researchers at Texas A&M University have partnered with NASA Langley Research Center to engineer a solution using reflectors to get solar power to the bottom of lunar craters.

“If you perch a reflector on the rim of a crater, and you have a collector at the center of the crater that receives light from the sun, you are able to harness the solar energy,” said Dr. Darren Hartl, an associate professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University.

“So, in a way, you’re bending light from the sun down into the crater.”

Researchers are using computer modeling systems to engineer designs for the reflector. According to the initial research, a parabolic shape will be the most favorable for widening the amount of light reflected at the bottom of the craters.

Parabola designs are common in things like telescopes, microphones, and car headlights and can be built of any size on Earth.

Major challenges

The challenge is that the reflector has to be small enough to be transported to the Moon, as it is expensive to launch even a pound of material into space.

Also, the reflector has to be large enough to harness enough energy.

Researchers are using a self-morphing material developed by Hartl and other Texas A&M engineers to meet both requirements.

“During space missions, astronauts may need to deploy a large parabolic reflector from a relatively small and light landing system. That’s where we come in,” added Hartl.

Wild temperature swings

Another challenge of operating on the moon is the major temperature swings between night and day.

At the equator, the temperature can reach 121 Celsius (250 F), far hotter than anywhere on Earth. But the temperature drops precipitously at night to -133 C (-208 F.)

The permanent shadows in the Moon’s deep polar craters foster temperatures as low as -250 C (-415 F), reported Universe Today.

However, Hartl has previously developed materials for these pronounced temperature swings. He leads the Multifunctional Materials and Aerospace Structures Optimization (M2AESTRO) Lab at Texas A&M.

Hartl said that researchers are looking at using shape memory materials that will change “the shape of the reflector in response to system temperature changes.”

“Our proposed solutions incorporate shape-shifting metals that adjust their own heat rejection based on how hot or cold they are, so it solves the problem for us,” Hartl had earlier said, as per Universe Today.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

The Blueprint Daily

Stay up-to-date on engineering, tech, space, and science news with The Blueprint.

By clicking sign up, you confirm that you accept this site's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Prabhat Ranjan Mishra Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.

FEATURED VIDEO

POPULAR ARTICLES

Half grain-sized brain tissue with 1400 TB data mapped by Harvard, Google

2 days ago

Scientists unlock key to cheap hydrogen fuel with 95% less iridium

2 days ago