Future lunar bases could run on solar panels forged from molten moon dust, turning the Moon's surface into an energy source, thanks to a new research breakthrough.
Scientists ...
at the University of Potsdam have engineered so-called "moonglass" solar cells made by melting artificial moon dust or "regolith" and then combining it with a layer of perovskite crystal to create a working solar panel. 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 Device this week. 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 — and so will the cost of getting panels there. Felix Lang, lead author of the paper, said that while the silicon-based solar cells used in space now are "amazing" — reaching efficiencies of 30% to 40% — they are very expensive. They are also heavy because they use glass or a thick foil as a cover. "It's hard to…