ASTROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY INC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z13

Description

A great challenge with power management is the way power is transmitted to other devices. Traditional space systems operate through nuclear, solar, or tethered power mechanisms that require great complexity and process to qualify and operate.nbsp;Tethered systems are hindered tremendously by mechanically mated components that are prone to regolith incursion and that require large robotically generated forces for interconnection. Furthermore, astronauts suffer from limited suit dexterity to manipulate and manage such systems. Nuclear powered systems require intensive handling procedures, and in many cases, presidential authority to launchmdash;greatly increasing the cost and schedule of such missions. Solar powered systems require continuous access to the Sun and must follow predicated operational plans to maximize sunlight exposure and limit system duty cycles, ultimately constraining system performance. A wireless charging system would mitigate these challenges for standalone systems that donrsquo;t have the resources to generate power independently through the traditional methods listed above and would in many cases eliminate the need for some quick disconnect technologies used in static joints. Furthermore, a charging technology such as this could have great utility not only on the Moon, but also in critical space applications on Mars, in orbit, and beyond.The proposing team of Astrobotic and WiBotic, are developing a charging solution that can satisfy these needs.nbsp;The performance and specifications of the proposed wireless charging system are summarized as follows:Dust tolerant design for 1 micro;m lunar regolith particlesCharging rate of 1-1.5 kWCharging range of 0-4cm (horizontal spacing), +/-5cm (lateral misalignment), 0-70deg (angular misalignment)Mass of 10kgCompact base station size of 29 x 37 x 33 cm and power receiver size of 12 x 18 x 3 cmOperational temperature range of -200C to +86C to enable operations at the lunar pole and equator