First look: Blue Origin is developing a solar power system designed for use on the Moon, where keeping equipment supplied with electricity will be one of the biggest practical challenges. The tower is still at an early stage of development, and Blue Origin has not said when it could fly to the Moon.
The proposed system reflects the growing focus on the infrastructure needed for future surface operations. Launch vehicles and landers may get equipment to the surface. Systems such as the Power Tower would help keep it running once it arrives.
Blue Origin calls the system the Power Tower. It is a 20-meter-tall (65 foot) solar array that deploys vertically after landing and is designed to generate more than 10 kilowatts of electricity. The company said it is intended for Moon Base operations at the lunar south pole, the region NASA is targeting for its Artemis program.
Blue Origin released an animation showing the system landing on the lunar surface and extending from its base. A central mast rises first, followed by arms that unfold and lower the solar panels into place.
The design addresses a problem that will shape nearly every aspect of lunar operations: power is difficult to generate and distribute on the Moon. The lunar south pole is especially challenging. Parts of the region receive sunlight at low angles, while craters, ridges and other terrain can leave nearby areas in shadow. Conditions can change over short distances.
A vertical array can place solar panels above some of those surface-level obstacles.
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