A team of researchers has unveiled a creative solution to one of space exploration’s biggest hurdles—how to generate power on the Moon. Now, a new study shows that “moonglass” can be fabricated from lunar dust and used to make solar panels more efficiently and cheaply than transporting them from Earth.
“The solar cells used in space now are amazing, reaching efficiencies of 30% to even 40%, but that efficiency comes with a price,” says lead researcher Felix Lang of the University of Potsdam, Germany. “They are very expensive and are relatively heavy because they use glass or a thick foil as cover. It’s hard to justify lifting all these cells into space.”
Solar Panels Made From Lunar Dust Could Cut Launch Costs by 99 Percent
Instead of packing bulky panels and glass in rocket cargo bays, the team proposes melting lunar regolith—the Moon’s loose, dusty surface—to create “moonglass.” By pairing this moonglass with a crystal mineral called perovskite, which efficiently converts sunlight into electricity, their solar cells offer a potentially revolutionary alternative for powering future lunar outposts.
One of the biggest advantages is the dramatic weight reduction. According to the paper, using moonglass in place of Earth-sourced glass could cut launch mass by 99.4%, slash 99% of transport costs, and make long-term lunar settlements more feasible. These figures are from tests in which the scientists melted a substance designed to simulate Moon dust into moonglass and used it to build a new kind of solar cell.
“If you cut the weight by 99%, you don’t need ultra-efficient 30% solar cells, you just make more of them on the Moon,” Lang said. “Plus, our cells are more stable against radiation, while the others would degrade over time.”
Space is a harsh environment, especially on the Moon, where there is no protective atmosphere. Solar cells must withstand constant bombardment by radiation. Moonglass shows an advantage in this department as well. Unlike standard Earth-made glass, which gradually darkens under radiation and blocks vital sunlight, moonglass begins with its own natural tint that resists further browning. This means that over time, the Moon-based panels maintain their performance better than conventional ones.
“Our cells are more stable against radiation, while the others would degrade over time,” Lang said.
Another plus is that making moonglass, even in low lunar gravity, is relatively straightforward. Concentrating sunlight can generate enough heat to melt the dust, and the resulting glass does not need complex purification to be used effectively. Paired with thin perovskite layers, which are cheaper and easier to produce than traditional photovoltaic materials, the new approach offers a realistic way to power a future Moon habitat.
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Although more work needs to be done, primarily to test the process in lunar conditions, the researchers remain optimistic that the technique will prove practical. With space agencies and private companies pushing toward a permanent presence on the Moon, innovations like these could make life there more attainable.
“From extracting water for fuel to building houses with lunar bricks, scientists have been finding ways to use Moon dust,” Lang said. “Now, we can turn it into solar cells too, possibly providing the energy a future Moon city will need.”
The findings appeared in the journal Device.
