Researchers at the Harbin Institute of Technology have developed a new solar concentrator designed to melt lunar soil for construction purposes. The system utilizes a reflection compensation mechanism consisting of three specialized mirrors to focus sunlight with high precision.
During outdoor field tests, the device achieved a peak temperature of 892 degrees Celsius. The equipment features a 300-millimeter aperture and increases solar irradiance by over 500 times. In a simulated lunar environment, theoretical calculations suggest the device could reach temperatures of 1326 degrees Celsius.
The technology improves angular tolerance by approximately two times compared to traditional solar concentrators, allowing for better performance despite potential alignment deviations. This advancement aims to facilitate in-situ resource utilization on the Moon, potentially reducing manufacturing and transportation costs for future lunar bases.
The research team, led by Professor Li Lifang, published their findings in the journal Engineering on October 30. Future development plans include creating a lightweight prototype and conducting actual lunar soil melting experiments to prepare the technology for space deployment.
