The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has announced its backing of Leicester’s ispace Lunar Night Survival Technology Project. This project is a collaboration between the University of Leicester and Tokyo-based ispace, with the aim of developing lunar night survivability for future ispace lunar lander and rover missions.
The University of Leicester’s Space Nuclear Power group has been involved in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) European Devices Using Radioisotope Energy (ENDURE) programme. With heavy support from the UK Space Agency, this programme has successfully developed heating systems that utilize the heat generated from radioisotope decay to keep spacecraft at operating temperatures and even generate electricity. This technology is crucial for maintaining the operating temperature of spacecraft during the extremely cold lunar night, where temperatures can drop to as low as minus 170 degrees Celsius.
The University of Leicester was awarded funding under Phase I and Phase II of the UK International Bilateral Fund to create mission concepts that leverage this radioisotope power technology for future missions. Dr. Hannah Sargeant, project lead from the University of Leicester, expressed her excitement about the project, stating that the radioisotope heater units have performed extremely well in ongoing testing campaigns. The collaboration with ispace will focus on investigating the feasibility of using these units to provide sufficient heat for spacecraft to endure the lunar night.
The first phase of UKSA International Bilateral Funding allowed the University to work with international partners to understand their power needs and mission priorities. In Phase II, laboratory and concept studies will be conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the mission concepts. This phase will also serve as an opportunity to showcase the technology to the civil and commercial space industry, highlighting how it can meet critical power needs for priority missions.
The radioisotope heater units developed by the University of Leicester will be used in conjunction with ispace’s Series 3 landers and rovers. Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and CEO of ispace, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing the global nature of the cislunar economy and the importance of academic institutions in contributing to the vision. He believes that this collaboration will lead to great achievements in advancing scientific understanding through transportation to lunar orbit and the lunar surface.
As lunar exploration continues to gain attention, partnerships like the one between the University of Leicester and ispace are crucial for ensuring the success and sustainability of future missions. By leveraging the radioisotope power technology developed by the University, ispace will be able to overcome the challenges posed by the lunar night and expand our scientific knowledge of the Moon. This collaboration serves as a testament to the potential of international partnerships and highlights the important role that academic institutions play in advancing space exploration.
