Dr. Taavi Raadik from TalTech explains: “Our aim is to develop technology for pyrite microcrystal growth and to use them in a monograin layer solar cell, where each tiny crystal would work as an individual solar cell. The quantity of power produced by one miniscule solar cell is small but in the normal-sized module there would be billions of them– and in principle there is no limitation in terms of their size and shape. Power accessibility is an important aspect in picking the site of a future Moon base.
Dr. Taavi Raadik from TalTech describes: “Our goal is to establish technology for pyrite microcrystal growth and to utilize them in a monograin layer solar battery, where each tiny crystal would work as a private solar battery. The quantity of power created by one small solar battery is small but in the normal-sized module there would be billions of them– and in principle there is no limitation in regards to their size and shape. Additionally, we have the objective that all required source products should be possible to gather on the moon in-situ.”
TalTech PhD student Katriin Kristmann is having her work on this subject co-sponsored by TalTech and ESAs Discovery & & Preparation program. She explains: “We enjoy to work with that very enthusiastic job. Through this partnership we will have an opportunity to take Estonian science to the Moon.”.
The project will include the chance for Katriin to utilize lab facilities at ESAs ESTEC technical center in the Netherlands to perform comprehensive research studies of crystal quality.
” This is only one of a variety of in-situ resource usage techniques that ESA has been looking into for the Moon or further afield,” adds Advenit.
Power availability is an essential element in selecting the site of a future Moon base. The lunar south pole is preferred, for example, since of nearby peaks of near-eternal light where solar energy is practically continuously available. At lower lunar latitudes inhabitants would need to compete with two-week long nights.
This crystal of iron pyrite, just four hundredths of a millimeter in size, could work as the light taking in layer of a tiny solar cell– potentially a promising future source of power on the Moon. Credit: TalTech
This crystal of iron pyrite, simply four hundredths of a millimeter in size, could operate as the light soaking up layer of a small solar cell– potentially an appealing future source of power on the Moon.
Dealing with Estonias Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), ESA has studied the production of sandpaper-like rolls of such microcrystals as the basis of monograin-layer solar batteries.
” Were taking a look at these microcrystals in the context of future lunar settlement,” describes ESA advanced producing engineer Advenit Makaya. “Future Moon bases will require to live off the land in order to be sustainable, and the iron and sulfur required to produce pyrite might be obtained from the lunar surface.”