What if the same dusty terrain that coats astronauts’ boots could one day light up the lunar night?
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of Potsdam have taken an audacious step toward sustainable space exploration by creating solar cells from simulated Moon dust. These innovative cells promise to transform sunlight into energy efficiently, resist radiation damage, and eliminate the need to transport bulky materials from Earth, solving one of space exploration’s persistent challenges: reliable power.
Lead researcher Felix Lang highlights the current dilemma: “Space-grade solar cells are incredibly efficient—up to 40%—but come at a significant cost, both in price and weight. Transporting them to space just isn’t practical.”
Instead, Lang and his team focused on resources already available on the Moon, specifically lunar regolith—the rocky debris that blankets the Moon’s surface. By replacing traditional Earth-made glass with “moonglass,” the researchers envision a future where launching solar cells from Earth becomes largely unnecessary.
Turning Dust into Power
To bring their concept to life, the team melted the Moondust simulant into moon glass and combined it with perovskite, an efficient and cost-effective crystal for converting sunlight into electricity. The result?
Solar panels that weigh 99% less and generate up to 100 times more energy per gram of material than traditional designs.
This dramatic reduction in mass could slash transportation costs by 99.4%, making long-term lunar settlements more achievable.
Lang explains the added advantages: “Our moonglass cells are naturally more resistant to radiation than conventional options, which degrade over time. Cutting the weight means we don’t need ultra-efficient cells; we can produce more directly on the Moon.”
Enduring Challenges and Lunar Dreams
Although the study offers an exciting vision for the future, challenges remain. The Moon’s weaker gravity, extreme temperature shifts, and vacuum environment could impact the materials’ performance. Additionally, current methods for processing perovskite solvents need adaptation for use beyond Earth. To address these issues, the team aims to test their solar cells in real lunar conditions through small-scale experiments.
But the simplicity of the moonglass-making process provides hope. With no need for complex purification and using concentrated sunlight for melting, the team achieved 10% efficiency in their prototypes, believing it could reach 23% with refined glass.
A New Era of Lunar Sustainability
From extracting water for fuel to building homes with lunar bricks, Moon dust has been central to space sustainability efforts. Now, Lang and his colleagues have added another layer to this vision. By turning Moon dust into solar cells, they could power future Moon cities, enabling humanity’s leap into space not only to survive but thrive.
“Moon dust has long been seen as an obstacle to overcome,” says Lang. “But now, it could become the cornerstone of future lunar living.”
As space agencies and private ventures set their sights on the Moon, this innovation may redefine what’s possible. The dream of illuminating the Moon’s surface with its own dust might not be so far from reality.
Journal Reference:
- Ortiz et al., Moon photovoltaics utilizing lunar regolith and halide perovskites. Device. DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100747
Source: Tech Explorist
