Piezoelectric-Based Power Conversion for Lunar Surface Systems

Power management is a significant challenge for scientific exploration of our solar system and the establishment of infrastructure on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. These resource-constrained environments demand radiation-hardened power electronics capable of operating at cryogenic temperatures with maximal efficiency and reliability, and with minimal size, weight, and cost. To enable major advances along these dimensions, this program will develop an alternative power conversion strategy – piezoelectric-based power conversion – for powering small systems in permanently shadowed regions of the lunar surface. The proposed approach is anticipated to reduce the size, weight, and energy consumption of these systems and improve their reliability, enabling longer-duration, farther-reaching missions.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.