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Dec. 9, 2020
It seeks to take advantage of the environment and environmental conditions to convert wind energy into electricity and use it as an auxiliary energy source
The Tekniker technology center will lead the HORACE project with the aim of building the first wind generator for future use on Mars as a secondary source of energy. The initiative, which will start in January 2021, is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and will contribute to the future exploration of the red planet.
Tekinker has explained that one of the main limitations of exploration missions to Mars lies in the extreme environmental conditions of the red planet, whose storms can last up to six continuous months.
Tekniker will manufacture a prototype wind turbine for the red planet. Image Credit: Tekniker
"These meteorological conditions make the development of constant and reliable energy supplies essential both for the exploration of Mars and for the future possibility of installing human colonies on the planet that are energetically sustainable", he pointed out.
In this context, the Basque technology center Tekniker, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), will be in charge of leading and developing the HORACE (Triboelectric Energy Harvesting for Mars Exploration) project. The initiative, which starts in January 2021, is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and will have as its main objective the development of the first wind generator for Mars built and tested for use in future space missions.
The project consists of taking advantage of the environment and the environmental conditions of Mars to convert wind energy into electrical energy and use it as an auxiliary energy source for the usual solar panels on expeditions to the red planet, when they do not produce energy due to Martian storms.
Alternative
Specifically, Tekniker, which has extensive experience in space technology and in the design, development and manufacture of complex mechatronic systems, as well as in the areas of materials and tribology, will manufacture a triboelectric generator (TENG) demonstrator, an innovative technology that converts mechanical energy into electricity through the triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction.
It is an alternative to the usual electromagnetic generators (EG), whose use in this type of planetary exploration is limited by its high weight, which entails high launch costs. "The peculiarity of the system is that its operation will be based on a triboelectric generator, instead of the usual electromagnetic ones, with the aim of reducing weight and costs", explains Borja Pozo, researcher and coordinator of the space sector at Tekniker.
Furthermore, Tekniker will design and implement a prototype based on a vertical wind turbine allowing easy integration of the different elements of the system.
Tekniker - Technological and Research Center. Image Credit: Tekniker
Finally, the operation of the prototype will be verified and validated under various atmospheric conditions in the Martian chamber of the University of Aarhus (Denmark). In this way, a low weight and efficient wind turbine demonstrator will be developed, contributing to the space exploration of Mars.
The conclusions of the testing in a laboratory environment will serve to "define and establish a roadmap for the industrialization of the model", including its qualification and possible improvements and limitations. Likewise, the scalability parameters of the system may be established for future developments, such as large power generators.
This project is scheduled to be completed in June 2022 and is aimed at Martian exploration within the lines set by ESA, The Basic Technology Research Program (TRP), The Mars Robotic Exploration Preparation (MREP) and The Human Exploration and Transportation.
Tekniker: https://www.tekniker.es/en
Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: Europapress/Tekniker/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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