Honda & Astrobotic Team Up to Power Lunar Missions Beyond Night
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Astrobotic Technology, Inc. have joined forces to develop an integrated power solution for lunar surface missions. The collaboration aims to extend power availability beyond the lunar night, supporting a sustained human presence on the moon.
Honda's regenerative fuel cell (RFC) system, which provides oxygen, hydrogen, and electricity using solar energy and water, will be paired with Astrobotic's Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) and LunaGrid service. The study will evaluate the scalability of Honda's RFC system for LunaGrid's use and determine sunlight reception for powering water electrolysis at various lunar South Pole sites using Astrobotic's 10 kW and 50 kW VSAT systems.
Bobby Rolley, Astrobotic's Lunar Power Systems Architect, believes LunaGrid can extend mission durations from days to years, boosting mission performance and data return per dollar invested. The study aims to help size Honda's RFC system to meet energy storage needs for various lunar mission scenarios.
The joint feasibility study conducted by Honda and Astrobotic could significantly extend power availability on the lunar surface, paving the way for a sustained human presence and advancing lunar surface infrastructure development.
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