Development of a Multi-Disciplinary, Parametric Lunar Power Beaming Satellite Model Using Dyreqt
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Abstract
Exploring the lunar surface outside of a select few regions at the poles poses the obstacle of overcoming the two-week long lunar night. Traditional methods for exploration assets to survive the lunar night involve using a radioisotope heater for continuous power or switching to an extremely low-powered survival mode during night periods to minimize energy storage requirements. This can greatly increase mission cost or significantly limit the amount of science that assets can perform. One emerging solution to this problem is to utilize Orbital Power Beaming to enable limited global lunar power distribution. Orbital Power Beaming consists of using a satellite in low lunar orbit to wirelessly transfer power to lunar surface assets such that they have at least enough energy to sustain themselves until the beamcraft's next orbital pass. The beamcraft's concept of operations is defined using three phases. The first phase is a direct minimum energy transfer trajectory from Earth to a low lunar orbit, developed using STK. The second phase details how the beamcraft beams power to a surface asset while in orbit. The third phase explains beamcraft's disposal process at its end-of-life. A parametric model for sizing the beamcraft to perform this mission profile and satisfy the power requirements of the surface asset was developed using the Dyreqt framework. The beamcraft model is composed of high-fidelity subsystem component models that use a resource flow and allocation approach to perform mass, power, thermal, and cost sizing. This model is demonstrated by performing notional trade studies of different beamcraft designs and mission alternatives.
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2026-01
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