Lunar Surface Power Architecture Concepts

As part of the Artemis era of space exploration, space agencies will work together with industry partners to establish infrastructure and systems to enable sustained Lunar exploration and development. From the very first Lunar mission through the evolution of a full-fledged Lunar economy, power will persist as a foundational, enabling resource. Lockheed Martin is developing concepts using its technologies that address the complexities of a complete power architecture and satisfy the diversity of Lunar actors work towards building a sustained Lunar presence. Lunar power providers will establish a sustainable power infrastructure that enables continuous Lunar operations. That infrastructure needs to be architecturally flexible and operationally scalable from early missions to early microgrids to a mature long-term Lunar ecosystem with many diverse power consumers. This power value chain will comprise multiple technologies and operators within each class, from generation to storage, management, and distribution. Effectively managing a cohesive value chain at a system of systems level will be essential, as will adapting Lunar grid management to meet evolving power needs. Consumers and their requirements will be diverse, including science, resource production, cargo logistics, surface mobility, infrastructure emplacement, habitation, etc. The establishment of common interfaces, operating standards, and both legal and procedural norms will greatly aid in the interoperability and cohesion of the grid. This paper will detail Lockheed Martin's research and development, including the power required for major Lunar activities, the diverse locations where power delivery is required, and energy storage requirements to sustain long-duration and large-capacity operations. As an example of such trades, this paper will include a trade of cable power transfer versus several types of wireless power beaming for Lunar power delivery. It will delve into the trades regarding power levels and direct current (DC) versus alternating current (AC) for the Lunar power grid. It will outline best use of power generation methods depending on location on the Lunar surface. For example, microgrids based on solar power generation are more cost and mass efficient at the south pole, while energy storage becomes a microgrid design driver as operations move into lower latitudes. Lockheed Martin has conducted research on vertical solar array technology, the development of large-capacity, long-duration energy storage, fission surface power, power beaming, hardened electronics, cabling, and novel in-situ storage solutions. Power availability is a foundational enabler of Lunar activities, and its lack of supply on the Lunar surface is a major barrier to entry. A cohesive, evolvable, interoperable global Lunar power grid will lower this and other barriers of entry to Lunar exploration so that a greater diversity of commercial and international partners can participate in the emerging Lunar economy.