The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
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Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
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Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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In a first step towards uncovering the Moon’s subterranean secrets, in 2019 we asked for your ideas to detect, map and explore lunar caves. Five ideas were selected to be studied in more detail, each addressing different phases of a potential mission.
Powering rovers inside lunar caves can be challenging, as they are not exposed to the sunlight that is traditionally used as a power source. This study carried out by the University of Oviedo investigated a system that would involve a unit on the Moon’s surface equipped with a solar panel large enough to supply energy to itself as well as to charge the batteries of robots operating inside the cave. The surface unit would send power wirelessly to the robots in the cave using a crane that goes into the cave and deploys a ‘charging head’.