NASA awards $19.4 million in grants to develop solar array technology and lunar construction research

NASA has announced that it is awarding $19.4 million in grants to three companies to advance work on deployable solar array systems on the Moon. The systems will help power NASA's human and robotic exploration of the Moon under its Artemis missions.  Through Artemis, the agency aims to get astronauts back on the Moon and establish a long-term presence near its South Pole. To make this possible, a dependable, sustainable power source is required to support habitats, rovers, and construction systems for future missions. In order to facilitate this power, NASA is developing vertical solar arrays that can independently deploy up to 32 feet high and retract for relocation.  Existing solar array structures are designed for microgravity or horizontal surface deployment. These new designs utilize a vertical orientation and height, which will help prevent power loss at the lunar poles "where the Sun doesn’t rise far above the horizon," according to NASA. “These prototypes will provide promis...