Atomic-6, a leader in advanced composite structures, has signed a development contract with lunar infrastructure company, Starpath Robotics, to create a deployable composite boom for their innovative solar power generation system.
The partnership combines Starpath’s lunar mining and infrastructure expertise with Atomic-6’s proprietary composite manufacturing technology. Starpath’s lunar development program aims to establish robotic mining operations capable of producing hundreds of tons of Liquid Oxygen annually for refueling and space industrial applications, with a path to scale power and production capacity past tens-of-thousands of tons annually.
“The Power Tower’s deployable mast is a challenging component to manufacture,” said Saurav Shroff, CEO of Starpath Robotics. “A stiff, reliable and lightweight mast is important in optimizing power-per-mast and, equally importantly, increasing the visible land area on the Moon that can be serviced by high-data-rate long-range communication systems at the top of the tower. In the not so distant future tens, and then hundreds, and then thousands, of Power Towers establish cislunar capabilities suited for a multiplanetary species. To give a size perspective, the Power Tower will be a colossal structure, equivalent to almost one and a half NBA regulation size basketball courts!”
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Atomic-6’s Space Mast™ technology offers 15% higher specific strength than conventional composites, making it ideal for applications requiring high stiffness and minimal weight. The company has demonstrated this capability through successful USAF STTR contracts and its Light Wing™ solar array product line.
Upon conclusion of the contract, Starpath will evaluate the Atomic-6 composite mast’s performance, with the potential for a follow-on contract to build, launch, demonstrate, and rapidly scale advanced deployment systems on the lunar surface, anticipated for 2026. This partnership supports Starpath’s objective to vastly reduce the cost of deep space missions and lay the foundation for a multi planet future, and NASA’s $93B Artemis Program goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
SOURCE: PRNewswire