2023-06-11 16:00:00
Researchers are working on a sustainable technology to harvest solar energy in space that might complement life support systems on the Moon and Mars.
According to a study published in Nature Communications, scientists are examining a new technique for transforming green, renewable energy from outer space. They harness the process of photosynthesis, a daily chemical process in plants to produce energy, to make the space industry more sustainable.
The research, conducted by theUniversity of Warwick, evaluates the use of a specific device, a semiconductor, to capture sunlight on the Moon and Mars. It is hoped that these devices might aid Martian life support systems.
Ces “artificial photosynthesis devices” follow the same processes that keep plants alive on Earth – they turn water into oxygen using only sunlight, while recycling carbon dioxide. These integrated systems have the advantage of using solar energy directly and might lighten the burden of long-term space travel compared to traditional systems currently used on the International Space Station, thus making space travel more efficient.
Efficient and reliable power sources are needed in space to enable exploration of our solar system. It is hoped that this technology can be installed on the Moon and Mars to harvest green energy to power rockets and supplement life support systems for the production of oxygen and other chemicals, as well as for recycling. carbon dioxide.
The insights gained from this study in improving the efficiency of the devices also allow them to be optimized for terrestrial applications and to better understand the performance of traditional solar cells in space.
“Human space exploration faces the same challenges as the green energy transition on Earth: both require sustainable energy sources. With the profusion of sunlight in space, we showed how this source might be harnessed to harvest energy – much like plants do on Earth – for life support systems during space travel from long duration. The technology might provide abundant oxygen production and carbon dioxide recycling on the Moon and Mars.said Assistant Professor Katharina Brinkert, from the Department of Chemistry.
Associate Professor Sophia Haussener, of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, added: “In this study, we finally quantify the potential of these devices for extraterrestrial use and provide initial guidelines for their eventual implementation.“
The research project was funded by the European Space Agency through the Open Space innovation platform – https://ideas.esa.int.
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