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The aerospace and defense companys vertical array solar array (VSAT) technology reaches up to 19.8 meters in length. Lockheed Martin claims the technology is capable of providing continuous, sustainable power for a range of lunar operations. US aerospace and defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin is developing vertical solar array (VSAT) technology for deployment on the Moon. According to a statement posted on the companys website, its VSAT has the ability to provide continuous and sustainable power and will be critical for various lunar operations. Certain locations on the Moons south pole receive sunlight 80% to 90% of the time, but the sun sits low on the horizon, meaning any future solar system deployed on the Moon must be efficient at capturing sunlight at certain angles. Lockheed Martin says its VSAT addresses this challenge with its vertical structure, which reaches up to 19.8 m. The technology has already been tested on Earth under conditions that mimic the Moons gravity. It has also been tested for resistance to various surfaces and slopes, reflecting the uneven terrain of the satellites surface, as well as to extremely low temperatures. Lockheed Martin envisions the solar array supporting operations such as powering life support systems, lighting, and other critical functions within lunar habitats, charging lunar rovers and other critical exploration vehicles, and powering systems that extract and process local resources. In 2022, Lockheed Martin was selected by NASA as one of three companies tasked with advancing the development of solar array systems capable of autonomous vertical deployment and relocation for relocation to the Moon. A recent research paper by German scientists proposes that power generation for future lunar habitats could be achieved by locally manufacturing halide perovskite cells using regolith-based lunar glass. |
