Even if the moon is not a suitable place to live because there is neither air nor atmosphere Including signs of nature that can meet the needs of living. But the composition on the planet closest to Earth. Instead, it is rich in essential minerals that can be used for a variety of purposes. From the concept of extracting minerals into oxygen for human respiration. To using dust as parasols to help reduce global warming And recently, Blue Origin has come up with a new idea to use dust on the moon to create solar cells. to increase the chances of building a base on the moon
An image of the moon’s surface covered in rocky dust and minerals. seti.org
Before getting to Blue Origin’s latest work, we have to go back to the original idea of NASA first, because we have many missions to test on the moon. with the belief that this is an excellent resource that can be applied in many forms So if it’s possible to set up a base on the moon to work continuously, it would be good. The only problem is the power issue. Whether it is the residence of astronauts, researchers and experts. experiment or scientific proof They all require very high energy to drive. Initially, NASA considered a nuclear reactor or turbine power source. But it’s too cumbersome and limiting.
A photo of a dedicated team working on a solar cell project. blueorigin.com
Instead, Blue Origin’s engineering team focused on installing solar cells on the moon. Of course, this idea has been around before. But at that time, it was still difficult to transport. takes a long time and must invest with enormous value There is also the risk of transit from Earth to the Moon. We cannot predict exactly what will happen along the way. There is a chance that the entire device will be damaged before being installed. A better solution would be to produce everything necessary on the moon. With things that already exist naturally on the moon itself.
Photo of a prototype solar cell produced by Ragolith. blueorigin.com
And as we all know there are many interesting minerals on the Moon, Blue Origin engineers figured out how to exploit these resources. until the model can be successfully built The process begins with the creation of regolith simulants, which are regoliths that cover the surface of the moon. It consists of soil, rocks, gravel, dust and many other minerals. It is then heated to 1800 °C. As a result, Regolith melts and causes the compounds to separate. The extracted material will then be used to produce solar cells with further applications.
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Conceptual rendering of the installation of solar cells on the moon. interestingengineering.com
At the beginning of the process it was also necessary to transport the first solar cells and other equipment away from Earth in order to become the main power source for production. If everything goes as planned and done successfully, there will be sustainable energy. It’s not a problem for how long to set up a stronghold. And I believe that it will help us continue the various projects on the moon as intended. But another issue that still needs to be monitored is The concept and work created by Blue Origin is this. There is not much publicity out there. It is expected that there will be many other factors that need to be analyzed further, such as the difference in working in the laboratory and the real space. The difference between the model and the regolith on the moon The level of risk and potential impacts, etc.
ref : iflscience
