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The defense and aerospace company’s vertical solar array technology (VSAT) reaches up to 19.8 m in length. Lockheed Martin says the technology is capable of providing continuous and sustainable power for a range of lunar operations. American defense and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin is developing vertical solar array technology (VSAT) to be deployed on the Moon. A statement on the company’s website says its VSAT has the ability to provide continuous and sustainable power and will be foundational for various lunar operations. Certain locations of the Moon’s south pole receive sunlight for 80% to 90% of the time but the sun hovers low on the horizon, meaning any future solar arrays deployed on the moon need to be efficient at capturing sunlight at certain angles. Lockheed Martin says its VSAT addresses this challenge through its vertical structure, which reaches up to 19.8 m. The technology has already been tested on Earth in conditions that mimic the Moon’s gravity. It has also been tested to withstand various surfaces and slopes, to mirror the uneven terrain of the satellite’s surface, as well as extreme low temperatures. Lockheed Martin envisages the solar array will support operations including the supply of energy to life support systems, lighting, and other essential functions within lunar habitats, the charging of lunar rovers and other vehicles essential for exploration, and powering systems that extract and process local resources. In 2022, Lockheed Martin was selected by NASA as one of three companies to advance work in solar array systems that are capable of autonomous vertical deployment and retraction for relocation on the Moon. A recent research paper from German scientists proposes that power generation for future habitats on the moon could be achieved by manufacturing halide perovskite cells locally, using regolith-based moonglass. |
