Blue Origin: 20-meter solar tower for the Moon will generate 10 kW

Blue Origin plans to deploy a 20-meter solar tower on the Moon to power future bases

American aerospace company Blue Origin is developing an innovative lunar solar power project. The company plans to place a 20-meter solar tower on the surface of the Moon that can generate more than 10 kilowatts of electricity. The project aims to provide stable power for future lunar bases, particularly in the area of the Moon’s south pole, which NASA is considering for astronaut landings under the Artemis program.

The project, called Power Tower, is currently in the early stages of development. It is not yet known when Blue Origin plans to implement this ambitious initiative. The equipment is expected to be delivered to the Moon using launch vehicles and specialized lunar modules.

An innovative solution for lunar lighting

Developing solar power systems for the Moon comes with a number of challenges. One of the main issues is the low angle of sunlight over part of the south pole, as well as possible shadowing from terrain features such as craters and ridges. The solution to this problem is the concept of a vertically deployed solar tower.

Power Tower is designed so that its solar panels can rise above obstacles on the Moon’s surface. This not only enables efficient solar energy collection, but also helps save valuable space on the landing site. Such a site must accommodate not only a power source, but also vehicles, scientific equipment, habitat modules, and rovers.

Modularity and future potential

The modular architecture of Blue Origin’s Power Tower solar structure will allow it not only to power the lander itself, but also to support critical infrastructure. That means electricity will be available for communications systems, thermal control, scientific instruments, computing equipment, and lunar transport.

Although the solar tower alone will not be able to fully power an entire lunar settlement, it could become a key element of a larger energy network, supplying the most essential systems. The development of Power Tower is making active use of expertise from Blue Origin’s subsidiary, Honeybee Robotics.

Honeybee Robotics already has experience creating lunar energy systems. The company developed the Lunar Array Mast and Power System (LAMPS), which successfully passed tests at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 2024. In addition, Honeybee Robotics worked with NASA on a project to develop vertical solar arrays, demonstrating its expertise in adapting solar technologies to the Moon’s specific conditions.

This project is an important step toward lunar exploration, providing a potential energy future for human missions on Earth’s natural satellite.