NASA Minds: Reticular Solar Array

Discipline: MAE

Advisor: Marino Nader

Future lunar surface missions will require reliable power systems capable of supporting long-duration operations for landers, rovers, and scientific infrastructure. The lunar south pole is a particularly promising location because certain regions experience extended periods of sunlight, but the environment also presents significant engineering challenges including extreme temperature swings, abrasive lunar dust, radiation exposure, and uneven terrain. This project addresses these challenges through the design of a lightweight, redeployable solar power system capable of generating at least 10 kW of electrical power for sustained lunar surface operations. The proposed system uses a deployable composite boom to elevate a reticular solar array approximately ten meters above the lunar surface, improving solar exposure while minimizing shadowing and dust interference near the ground. A worm-gear slewing drive enables continuous azimuth tracking to maintain optimal solar alignment, while a three-leg auto-leveling mechanism stabilizes the platform on terrain slopes of up to ten degrees. Structural and thermal analyses were conducted to ensure stability and survivability under lunar environmental conditions. The resulting architecture provides a compact, scalable power generation system that could support future lunar exploration infrastructure and long-duration human and robotic missions.

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