Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment
This paper presents a systematic analysis of power generation technologies for a lunar outpost supporting six astronauts. Based on a detailed power budget analysis requiring 65 kWe for life support, scientific equipment, and in situ resource utilization (ISRU), a comparative analysis of solar and nu...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Aerospace |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/58 |
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| author | Michele Marrone Luca Pasqualin Carlo Giovanni Ferro |
| author_facet | Michele Marrone Luca Pasqualin Carlo Giovanni Ferro |
| author_sort | Michele Marrone |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents a systematic analysis of power generation technologies for a lunar outpost supporting six astronauts. Based on a detailed power budget analysis requiring 65 kWe for life support, scientific equipment, and in situ resource utilization (ISRU), a comparative analysis of solar and nuclear power solutions is conducted. Nuclear fission is identified as the most promising technology based on key criteria, including mass efficiency, reliability, and power density. A parametric study is then conducted to optimize the nuclear reactor design, with particular focus on radiation shielding using lunar regolith and its impact on safety distances. The analysis demonstrates that proper shielding can reduce the required safety distance from over 2.5 km to approximately 90 m while maintaining radiation exposure within acceptable limits. Finally, leveraging insights from existing reactor designs, an optimized configuration is proposed that combines multiple small reactors to meet the unique challenges of lunar power generation while ensuring crew safety and operational redundancy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-42f8fe7adeda4273856cbe0be19d7690 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2226-4310 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerospace |
| spelling | doaj-art-42f8fe7adeda4273856cbe0be19d76902025-01-24T13:15:40ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102025-01-011215810.3390/aerospace12010058Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to ExperimentMichele Marrone0Luca Pasqualin1Carlo Giovanni Ferro2Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, Via Giuseppe La Masa, 34, 20156 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyThis paper presents a systematic analysis of power generation technologies for a lunar outpost supporting six astronauts. Based on a detailed power budget analysis requiring 65 kWe for life support, scientific equipment, and in situ resource utilization (ISRU), a comparative analysis of solar and nuclear power solutions is conducted. Nuclear fission is identified as the most promising technology based on key criteria, including mass efficiency, reliability, and power density. A parametric study is then conducted to optimize the nuclear reactor design, with particular focus on radiation shielding using lunar regolith and its impact on safety distances. The analysis demonstrates that proper shielding can reduce the required safety distance from over 2.5 km to approximately 90 m while maintaining radiation exposure within acceptable limits. Finally, leveraging insights from existing reactor designs, an optimized configuration is proposed that combines multiple small reactors to meet the unique challenges of lunar power generation while ensuring crew safety and operational redundancy.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/58lunar outpostpower generationnuclear fission |
| spellingShingle | Michele Marrone Luca Pasqualin Carlo Giovanni Ferro Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment Aerospace lunar outpost power generation nuclear fission |
| title | Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment |
| title_full | Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment |
| title_fullStr | Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment |
| title_short | Lunar Power Sources: An Opportunity to Experiment |
| title_sort | lunar power sources an opportunity to experiment |
| topic | lunar outpost power generation nuclear fission |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/58 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michelemarrone lunarpowersourcesanopportunitytoexperiment AT lucapasqualin lunarpowersourcesanopportunitytoexperiment AT carlogiovanniferro lunarpowersourcesanopportunitytoexperiment |