We’ve been pondering over storing energy on Moon, once Artemis reaches out that far. We were excited when we stumbled over a post on Universe Today. That site has been sharing info about space exploration since 1999, when the founder figured information was too vague. They wrote a post about lunar 3D printed batteries that made a deal of sense to us.
How Lunar 3D Printed Batteries Would Be a Giant Step
It stands to reason astronauts are going to need energy storage when their temporary, or new home passes through lunar night. This is going to require considerable capacity, compared to what’s needed to keep Curiosity Rover ticking over while it sleeps. This will in turn involve bigger batteries, but how to do this?
Batteries, as we now understand them have weight and bulk, and many include toxic chemicals. Added up, they do not equal the ideal type of payload we can blithely transport on flights through space. And moreover, how can we get replacement batteries out there when we need to replace them or upgrade?
3D Printing Could Be the Way, Says Universe Today
We learned while reading the article that University of Texas El Paso, and Youngstown State University are beavering away at this. And that those scientists are currently considering two options for lunar 3D printed batteries on their workbench:
- Material extrusion, whereby a machine pushes complete shapes out of a printer.
- Vat photopolymerization, whereby a 3D printer gradually builds up objects hour-by-hour.
The vat photopolymerization method could have other advantages. We can imagine astronauts using the same machine to construct different-shaped batteries to suit a variety of applications.
However, and here’s an interesting twist: Future moon settlements won’t have much moon-based lithium to rely on. We share Universe Today’s curiosity regarding what other chemistry they might use. Sodium is available on both Moon and Mars in reasonable quantities. Could this be the giant step forward sodium-ion has been waiting for?
More Information
Recharging Lead-Acid Batteries Correctly
Choose the Right Battery Charger Here’s How
Preview Image: Printing Rocket Engine Components
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