Implemented OSIP ideas — December 2021

Open Discovery Ideas Channel

In December 2021, the following ideas were implemented through the Open Discovery Ideas Channel.

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Novel approach to air dehumidification processes for space exploration

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Read about this public idea in OSIP

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Innovative material for lunar passive dust mitigation

Italian Aerospace Research Centre

The Moon is covered in sharp, abrasive and chemically reactive dust that can damage materials such as spacesuits and solar panels. This early technology development project aims to design and develop an innovative lightweight material with special properties that avoids dust sticking to the material. This material could be ideal for structural parts of human habitats on the Moon, including solar panels, thermal radiators and the flexible parts of astronauts’ visors, gloves, boots and suits.

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Compressive sensing of trace gases: replacing diffractive elements by nanostructured transmission filters on a detector

Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes

There is a demand in the scientific community for smaller Earth observation satellites, but smaller satellites need smaller instruments on board. This study will explore developing a smaller instrument to detect trace gases (anything other than oxygen, nitrogen and argon) in Earth's atmosphere from space, which would enable greenhouse gas monitoring with smaller satellites. The smaller instrument would use a combination of photonic crystal filters and compressive sensing.

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Protein structure, stability, and dynamics in non-terrestrial systems

University of Oxford

Proteins are the cornerstone of life on Earth, but there has been limited research into how they could operate in solvent conditions on other planets and moons. This co-funded research project will use data from the Cassini mission to investigate protein stability on Saturn's moon Enceladus – one of the few places in the Solar System where there is evidence of water, a key ingredient for life. By investigating if they could host protein-based life, this research could help us understand the habitability of other bodies in the Solar System.

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Thermal energy generation in space: Improved thermoelectric performance via metamaterial technology

Italian Institute of Technology

Hundreds of thousands, or even millions of kilometres from Earth, it is not practical for spacecraft to use coal or gas to produce energy. Instead, novel methods for safe and effective energy harvesting are continuously developed. Thermoelectric generators that recycle and harvest thermal energy using the thermoelectric effect are a promising candidate, but they have so far been very inefficient when converting heat into electricity. This co-funded research project aims to use a new class of artificial materials – metamaterials – to improve the efficiency of thermoelectric generators.

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Reactor for production of heat and pure ISRU metal during lunar nights through thermite reaction

Maana Electric

Thermite reactions are chemical reactions between a pure metal and a metal oxide, which release a lot of energy and form a more stable metal oxide and a reduced metal. These reactions can refine many different metals with a relatively high purity, and the resulting metals could be used to build on the Moon. This early technology development project aims to develop a thermite reactor with the double role of producing the metals needed for building and living on the Moon, and generating heat to keep astronauts warm at night.

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Development of new 3D printed magnetic materials for space applications

Tor Vergata University of Rome

Soft magnets are vital for many devices on board spacecraft. But soft magnetic materials and their manufacturing processes face critical issues such as limited design flexibility and wastage of materials. This early technology development project aims to develop and demonstrate a method to 3D print soft magnetic materials based on naturally ferromagnetic powders, which may be available on the surfaces of other planets and moons. Considering lunar exploration, this process could be key to using moondust to 3D print an electric motor on the Moon.

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Fixing nitrogen and splitting carbon dioxide on Mars using microwave plasma

University of Antwerp

In the future, humans may visit Mars, but for any long-term stays, we would need to figure out how to use local resources such as the Martian soil and atmosphere to produce elements key for life. This study aims to develop a technique that uses microwaves to convert carbon dioxide in Mars' atmosphere into oxygen and carbon monoxide, as well as converting molecular nitrogen into molecular compounds, which would be needed for agriculture.

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Sustainable hydrogen production

The following ideas were implemented through the Campaign for new ideas for sustainable hydrogen production technologies.

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Performance modelling of photoelectrochemical devices in reduced gravitational environments

University of Warwick

Read about this public idea in OSIP

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MOFs for photocatalytic water splitting and carbon dioxide conversion

University of Sheffield

During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to break apart water into hydrogen and oxygen, and then combine the resulting hydrogen with carbon dioxide from the air to create carbohydrates. This early technology development project will investigate using novel solid catalysts called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into useful chemicals or fuels. This process could reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and provide a store of energy.

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Regenerative solar co-generation system

SoHHytec

For solar energy technologies to become viable and widely deployed, they must be durable and have a reasonable cost. One way to improve the durability and cost of solar energy technologies would be to improve the functioning of photoelectrochemical components – those that convert light into electricity. This early technology development project aims to demonstrate a Reversible Integrated PhotoElectroChemical (RIPEC) device at an economically competitive level for applications in space and on Earth.

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Model-Based System Engineering

The following idea was implemented through the OSIP Model-Based System Engineering Campaign.

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Digital ground segment management through integrated MBSE and IT provisioning

CGI Eesti

Read about this public idea in OSIP

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