{"id":660735,"date":"2025-04-04T18:52:21","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T15:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/solar-panels-made-from-moon-dust-could-power-future-lunar-colonies\/"},"modified":"2025-04-04T18:52:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T15:52:21","slug":"solar-panels-made-from-moon-dust-could-power-future-lunar-colonies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/solar-panels-made-from-moon-dust-could-power-future-lunar-colonies\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar panels made from moon dust could power future lunar colonies"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a30cb2b0da9c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a30cb2b0da9c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/solar-panels-made-from-moon-dust-could-power-future-lunar-colonies\/#Building_solar_panels_on_the_Moon\" >Building solar panels on the Moon<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Future lunar bases could run on solar panels forged from molten moon dust, turning the Moon\u2019s surface into an energy source, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">thanks to a new research breakthrough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists at the University of Potsdam have engineered so-called \u201cmoonglass\u201d solar cells made by melting artificial moon dust or \u201cregolith\u201d and then combining it with a layer of perovskite crystal to create a working solar panel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The device could be lighter, cheaper, and more radiation-resistant than the panels already used in space, said the researchers. Their results were published in the journal <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Device<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> this week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, solar panels power satellites, space stations, and Mars and lunar rovers. All these arrays are currently built on Earth and launched into space. But as humanity pushes for a permanent lunar presence, the need for solar power is set to skyrocket \u2014 and so will the cost of getting panels there.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper channel-cta\">\n<div class=\"ica-text\">\n<p class=\"ica-text__title\">3 free tickets to TNW Conference? Get them now!<\/p>\n<p>For a limited time, groups can get up to three extra free tickets! Book now and increase your visibility and connections at TNW Conference<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Felix Lang, lead author of the paper, said that while the silicon-based solar cells used in space now are \u201camazing\u201d \u2014 reaching efficiencies of 30% to 40% \u2014 they are very expensive. They are also heavy because they use glass or a thick foil as a cover. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to justify lifting all these cells into space,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harnessing the Moon\u2019s own regolith could be a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>-changer. By creating moonglass directly on the lunar surface and pairing it with a thin layer of perovskite crystals brought from Earth, the researchers found they could slash launch mass by 99%.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_solar_panels_on_the_Moon\"><\/span>Building solar panels on the Moon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1412903 js-lazy\" alt=\"Artist's impression of future solar cell fabrication on the Moon\" width=\"1172\" height=\"606\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-04-at-14.13.42.png\"\/><figcaption>An artist\u2019s impression of future solar cell fabrication on the Moon. Credit: Sercan \u00d6zen<\/figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1412903\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-04-at-14.13.42.png\" alt=\"Artist's impression of future solar cell fabrication on the Moon\" width=\"1172\" height=\"606\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the materials are collected, turning them into solar panels on the Moon would require \u201cminimal equipment,\u201d according to the researchers, because they can be made with raw regolith that doesn\u2019t need to be pre-processed. The team says\u00a0they have already achieved promising results by using a large curved mirror and sunlight to focus a beam hot enough to melt regolith into moonglass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since moonglass is made from raw regolith, it\u2019s milky-white instead of transparent, limiting its light-harvesting potential. The best prototypes from the Potsdam team reached about 12% efficiency \u2014 roughly half that of conventional perovskite cells. But simulations suggest they could eventually match the efficiency of conventional perovskite cells.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nicholas Bennett at the University of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a> Sydney told <\/span><em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/2474931-we-could-make-solar-panels-on-the-moon-by-melting-lunar-dust\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Scientist<\/span><\/a><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that this is the first successful use of moonglass in a functioning solar cell. The real challenge now, he says, is producing large quantities of the stuff outside of the lab.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moonglass panels are the latest in a string of high-tech bids to lay the foundations for a permanent human presence on the Moon. Other planned projects include using moon dust to <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freethink.com\/space\/building-on-the-moon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3D-print a lunar base<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, building <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cd7nr8wv5r9o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">oxygen extraction systems<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from regolith, and even building <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">space mirrors<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that melt the Moon\u2019s ice into drinking water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Space age technologies will be <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>earing on Earth during\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/41IbD3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TNW Conference<\/a>, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tickets\u00a0for the event are <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4hueZwX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">now on sale<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Use the code TNWX<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MEDIA<\/a>2025 at the check-out to get 30% off the price tag.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/solar-panels-made-from-moon-dust-to-power-lunar-colonies\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Future lunar bases could run on solar panels forged from molten moon dust, turning the Moon\u2019s surface into an energy source, thanks to a new research breakthrough.\u00a0 Scientists at the University of Potsdam have engineered so-called \u201cmoonglass\u201d solar cells made by melting artificial moon dust or \u201cregolith\u201d and then combining it with a layer of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":660737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw-blurple?filter_last=1&fit=1280%2C640&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2025%2F04%2FUntitled-design-4.jpg&signature=896b79211bc10fc4a87aa1133c2dc2bb","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-660735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=660735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/660735\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/660737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=660735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=660735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=660735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}