A team of engineers has designed a vehicle powered by americium-241 to mine water ice from permanently shadowed craters near the Moon's poles. This design addresses the challenge of operating solar-powered vehicles in these dark regions, enabling long-term extraction of this vital resource for future space exploration.
We have known that water ice exists on the Moon since 1998. These large deposits are found in the permanently shadowed craters around the polar region. The challenge is how to get it since shadowed craters are not the best place for solar powered vehicles to operate. A team of engineers have identified a design for an ice-mining vehicle powered by americium-241. With a half-life of 432 years, this element is an ideal power source for a vehicle to operate in the dark for several decades.
A team of researchers have been exploring the use of Radioisotope Power Systems to provide thermal and electrical power systems. These power systems have been used before during deep space missions for example Voyager and New Horizons. They work by generating electricity using the heat that is released from the natural decay of a radioactive isotope usually plutonium-238.
Lunar Ice Americium-241 Space Exploration Resource Harvesting Moon Mining
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