Solar Power Satellites—Rotary Joints, Magnetrons, and All—From Lunar Resources?
Publication: Earth and Space 2022
ABSTRACT
We explore the notion of constructing SPS from lunar resources. We review several aspects of SPS design and determine that two core components that will be essential to SPS are the magnetron and the rotary joint. The magnetron is a vacuum tube device that may be constructed from lunar resources—a CaO-coated tungsten cathode, Ni control grid and anode, fused silica glass tube with elements of the electric motor. The rotary joint is a DC electric motor comprising hard and soft magnetic materials and wire coils which may be manufactured from AlNiCo alloy, ferrites, and kovar wiring respectively which can be sourced from lunar material. The DC electric motor has been successfully 3D printed while the vacuum tube magnetron has yet to be.
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Earth and Space 2022
Pages: 773 - 788
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Published online: Jan 5, 2023
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