Abstract
Several space organizations have been planning to establish a permanent, manned base on the Moon in recent years. Such an installation demands a highly reliable electrical power system (EPS) to supply life support systems and scientific equipment and operate autonomously in a fully self-sufficient manner. This paper explores various technologies available for power generation, storage, and distribution for space microgrids on the Moon. Several factors affecting the cost and mass of the space missions are introduced and analysed to provide a comprehensive comparison among the available solutions. Besides, given the effect of base location on the design of a lunar electrical power system and the mission cost, various lunar sites are introduced and discussed. Finally, the control system requirements for the reliable and autonomous operation of space microgrids on the Moon are presented. The study is complemented by discussing promising future technological solutions that could be applied upon a lunar microgrid.
Highlights
In recent years, several space organisations such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), China National Space Administration (CNSA) have planned to establish humans on the lunar surface from 2024 [1], 2030 [2], [3], and 2036 [4], respectively
Various available technologies and different factors affecting the construction of the electrical power system (EPS) for a lunar base are discussed in this paper
The reliability and autonomy of the control system to maintain system performance under different normal and abnormal operating conditions is an essential requirement of space MGs that will be discussed in this paper
Summary
Several space organisations such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), China National Space Administration (CNSA) have planned to establish humans on the lunar surface from 2024 [1], 2030 [2], [3], and 2036 [4], respectively. Other space organisations show similar interests in building a lunar base [5], [6] and using the Moon for solar driven heavy industries [7] This growing interest necessitates human establishments in these planets such as lunar habitats, scientific laboratories, resource utilisation plants, rovers, and vehicles. Various available technologies and different factors affecting the construction of the electrical power system (EPS) for a lunar base are discussed in this paper. The choices of power generation, distribution, and storage technologies are related to the mass, size, and cost of the space missions and to the environmental, construction, and control complexity-related issues. The reliability and autonomy of the control system to maintain system performance under different normal and abnormal operating conditions is an essential requirement of space MGs that will be discussed in this paper.
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