As part of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I program award, Foster + Partners and Branch Technology have put forward a proposal for the design, assembly, and manufacturing of a 50-metre tower for solar power generation at the Moon’s South Pole.
Supporting infrastructure will be vital for space exploration and a sustained human presence on celestial bodies other than Earth. A Lunar habitat would require a power system for baseline and peak power needs, to aid functions such as environmental control and life support systems, lighting, and communications. The Lunar South Pole is an area of particular interest for future human exploration, as there are regions that provide near constant solar illumination, due to the Moon’s low axial tilt and the region’s highland topography. There is no region on the Lunar surface that is in constant illumination – and as such all systems need to be able to survive the harsh Lunar nighttime conditions.
The tower’s structure is characterised by a diagrid geometry, which seamlessly integrates a spiral track that can enable both manufacturing and solar array deployment. This system was selected due to its geometrical versatility, maintenance-friendly characteristics, material-efficiency, and potential to reduce thermal shocks across the structure with its permeable shape. The integrated spiral travel rails can be used by robotic systems to move up and down, meaning the tower can build itself.
A freeform 3D printing and cellular fabrication strategy maximises material efficiency by reducing the material mass being transported from Earth or derived in-situ from Lunar resources.
