Micro-grid Definition and Interface Converter for Planetary Surface (MIPS)

Completed TRL 5 (started at 3, targeting 5)

Description

The overall goal of the Micro-grid definition and Interface converter for Planetary Surface (MIPS) project is to establish an evolvable, reconfigurable, reliable, and sustainable micro-grid design and power interface that supports the phased development and evolution of lunar surface activities. The first goal is to establish the overall need for electrical power to meet lunar surface operations as defined by the Agency and through the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII). With the electrical power needs identified, a micro-grid can be designed to meet these needs and take into account the phased development and evolution of lunar surface activities. A micro-grid is a small-scale power grid that delivers electrical power to a network of users (loads) from power sources and/or energy storage devices via a power distribution system. For the purposes of this project, the lunar surface micro-grid is envisioned to include distributed generation and energy storage devices to provide electrical power to the loads. To be able to repurpose and reuse electrical power equipment designed specifically for early lunar science activities at later phases, a Universal Micro-grid Interface Converter (UMIC) will be designed, developed, tested, and demonstrated that can interface power sources loads or to the micro-grid. The second activity involves seeking inout from Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorates (ESDMD) and joint NASA-industry on modular power architectures. The final MIPS activity will design and deminstrate a Universal Modular Interface Converter (UMIC) which serves as a reference implementation of this power interface. The MIPS project will enable long-distance power sharing on the lunar surface.

Benefits

Implementation of the Artemis lunar exploration campaign will require a strategy to achieve highly reliable sustainable power, enabling continuous power throughout the lunar day and night. An overall strategy for integrating, maintaining, and configuring multiple power assets with various loads has yet to be developed. The MIPS project looks to fill that gap by:
Focusing on an evolvable power micro-grid approach.
Developing a strategy for integrating and connecting dissimilar power sources and loads that arrive at the lunar surface over a period of years, can be robotically connected, and can function as a “synergistic-whole”.
Supporting a more focused and targeted investment strategy for technologies and advancements relevant to lunar surface operations.
Implementing a validated and verified standardized interface for lunar power/load technologies to reduce the overall integration effort and ensure power quality requirements are met.
There is currently no flight-proven electrical power management and distribution hardware capable of converting between the two standard DC space power voltages.

Details

Technology area	Aerospace Power and Energy Storage > Power Management and Distribution > Distribution and Transmission
Program	Game Changing Development (GCD)
Lead organization	Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
Start date	2020-10-01
End date	2024-09-30

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.