As science and technology advance, we demand that our space missions become more and more efficient. NASA's MSL Curiosity and Endurance rovers demonstrate this fact. Endurance is a very beautiful combination of technologies. These advanced rovers require a lot of power to complete their tasks, which means large and expensive power supplies.
Space exploration consumes more and more energy. Orbital and flyby missions can carry out their solar-powered missions at least as far as Jupiter. Ion thrusters can deliver spacecraft to distant regions. But to truly understand distant worlds, such as the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, or even the more distant Pluto, we will eventually need to land a rover and/or lander on them, as we did on Mars.
These missions require more power to operate, and that usually means MMRTGs (Multipurpose Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators). But they are bulky, heavy, and expensive—three undesirable characteristics for a spacecraft. Each one is worth over $100 million. Is there a better solution?
Stephen Polley thinks so.
Polly is a Research Fellow at the NanoPower Research Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His work focuses on what most of us have never heard of: the development, growth, characterization, and synthesis of III-V materials by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE).
Although it may seem complicated to non-specialists, space enthusiasts can easily understand what the work is about: a new way to launch space missions.
Poly could be a revolutionary way to launch spacecraft on long journeys to the outer planets. This is called a thermoradiation cell (TRC) and is similar to MMRTG. It uses radioisotopes as an energy source.
It uses a technology called polymetallic organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). It uses chemical steam to produce thin polycrystalline films. It is an industrial process used in optoelectronics to make Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Polly's work creates thermal radiation cells (TRCs) using MOVPE.
CRTs use a radioisotope like MMRTG and are based on the heat of radioactive decay, but there is a difference. The decay heats up the CRT, which then emits light. The light then reaches the photovoltaic cell, which in turn generates electricity. It's like a combination of MMRTG and solar energy.
But the idea of a pole is very small and sacred in spacecraft design. "This device, powered by a radioisotope heat source, increases power density by one order of magnitude (~30 to ~3 W/kg) and decreases volume by three orders of magnitude (~0.2 to ~212 W/kg)." ) compared to,” Paul explained in a brief press release.
Paul writes that these devices could revolutionize our space exploration efforts. This could lead to the deployment of large solar arrays or the proliferation of small spacecraft that do not need to carry bulky and heavy MMRTGs. Technological advances are constantly reducing the scientific workload, so if they can reduce the energy source, cubesats could be more useful.
“This allows direct flights to small satellites of the outer planets and operations in permanent shadows, such as the polar craters of the Moon,” Paul explained. For the first time, this technology could be used during a flight to Uranus. We are looking at a thermal transmitter that could send a primary CubeSat mission (or CubeSat fleet) to Uranus, relay data to atmospheric probes, and perform a parallax image of the planet. and the moon."
We are ready to travel, or at least our minds and imaginations, when we send a spaceship into the solar system to explore nature. If Polly's work succeeds and spaceships can be built with smaller and more efficient power sources, flying will become more exciting.
Polly's idea is in the first round of NASA's NIAC Advanced Innovative Concept selection. He received financial support to further develop his idea.
Quote: Exploring the Outer Solar System Takes Energy: Here's a Way to Miniaturize Nuclear Batteries for Deep Space (20 Jan 2023), accessed 21 Jan 2023 https://phys.org/news/2023-01-exploring- outer -solar energy-minimization .html
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