Research

SolarISRU investigates the energy constraints of in-situ resource utilization. Our research asks what happens when you run the numbers on powering extraction systems under real lunar surface conditions.

Active Research Directions

Energy Budgets for Extraction

Every ISRU process has a kilowatt-hour cost per kilogram of output. We compile and benchmark these costs across methods — hydrogen reduction, molten regolith electrolysis, water ice sublimation, carbothermal reduction — using published experimental data. The goal is a standardized reference that mission planners can trust.

Current focus: comparative kWh/kg analysis of the four leading oxygen extraction pathways, incorporating 2024-2025 NASA experimental results.

Lunar Solar Yield Modeling

Solar energy availability varies dramatically across the lunar surface. Polar regions near water ice receive limited illumination. Dust degrades panel efficiency measurably over each lunar day. We model these effects to estimate achievable — not theoretical — energy output at candidate ISRU sites.

Current focus: high-resolution solar yield estimates for Shackleton Crater rim and nearby peaks of eternal light.

Transport-vs-Manufacture Economics

Blue Origin has demonstrated regolith-to-solar-cell conversion in terrestrial conditions with the Blue Alchemist program. We study the economic crossover point: at what mission scale does local manufacturing of solar infrastructure become cheaper than Earth launch? The answer depends on conversion efficiency, panel lifespan under lunar dust exposure, and launch cost trajectories.

Dark Side Energy Transfer

The most valuable volatile deposits — water ice in permanently shadowed craters — sit where no sunlight reaches. Delivering energy to these locations requires power beaming (optical or microwave), physical cable runs, or hybrid nuclear-solar architectures. Each approach carries distinct mass, cost, and reliability tradeoffs that we quantify.

Methodology

We work with published experimental data and physics-based models. We do not develop hardware or advocate for specific technologies. Our role is to provide the energy analysis that precedes engineering decisions.

Publications

Research notes and technical analyses are published as articles on this site.