Generating and storing power on the Moon using in situ resources
Open accessAbstract
The Moon Village and similar concepts are strongly reliant on in situ resource utilisation (ISRU). There is great interest in harvesting solar power using locally leveraged in situ resources as an essential facet of in situ infrastructure. Traditionally, silicon-based photovoltaic cells have been assumed, preferably manufactured in situ using a 3D printing rover, but there are major difficulties with such scenarios. Solar cells require pre-processing of regolith and solar cell manufacture. We present an alternative lunar resource leveraged-solar power production system on the Moon which can yield high conversion efficiencies – solar Fresnel lens-thermionic conversion. The thermionic vacuum tube is constructed from lunar-derived materials and NiFe asteroidal ores on the Moon. Given that the majority of energy required for ISRU is thermal, thermionic conversion exploits this energy source directly. Silicates such as anorthite can be treated with acid to yield alumina and silicic acid in solution from which pure silica can be precipitated. Pure silica when heated to high temperature yields fused silica glass which is transparent – fused silica glass may be employed to manufacture Fresnel lenses and/or mirrors. Both silica and alumina may be input to the Metalysis Fray Farthing Chen Cambridge electrolytic process to yield near pure Si and near pure Al, respectively.
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In situ fabrication of solar cells from extraterrestrial sources presents difficulties due to limited controllability, leading to efficiencies as low as 5%-10%.
“However, in situ fabrication of solar cells from extraterrestrial sources presents difficulties due to limited controllability, leading to efficiencies as low as 5%-10% [139,142].”
From A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction (2024) · cites this paper as [139]
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A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction
Azami, M., Kazemi, Z., Moazen, S., Dubé, M., Potvin, M.-J., & Skonieczny, K. (2024) · Progress in Aerospace Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.paerosci.2024.101045 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ellery, A.
- Affiliations
- Carleton University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Ellery, Alex
- ORCID
- Ellery, Alex
- Venue
- Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part G Journal of Aerospace Engineering
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2021-07-05
- Volume
- 236
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1045-1063
- ISSN
- 0954-4100 (ISSN-L)
- 2041-3025
- OpenAlex
- W3181767161
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 87
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 2.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part G Journal of Aerospace Engineering (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Spacecraft Design and Technology
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Systems
- Keywords
- in-situ resource utilization, thermionic energy conversion, Fresnel lens, lunar regolith, fused silica, anorthite, alumina, solar energy, Moon Village
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