Researchers have successfully created solar cells from simulated moon dust that could fuel power. The cells the scientists developed should convert sunlight into energy efficiently and withstand radiation damage, they report in the Cell Press journal Device.
The technique kills two space logistics birds with one stone: it could create electricity without involving heavy payloads. Building a solar power electrical plant with existing technology would likely require multiple expensive trips to ferry heavy components to the satellite.
“The solar cells used in space now are amazing, reaching efficiencies of 30 percent to even 40 percent, but that efficiency comes with a price,” Felix Lang, a researcher with the University of Potsdam, Germany, and an author of the study, said in a press release. “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.”
