In the NASA SBIR 2022 Phase I Solicitation documentation Z1.05 Lunar and Planetary Surface Power Management and Distribution, it stated that there was an interest in near-field wireless power transfer in the 1 to 10kW range for the subtopic Z13.02 Mechanisms for Extreme Environments. Furthermore, in the recent NASA SBIR 2023 Phase I Solicitation documentation, there continues to be a desire for Z13.05: Components for Extreme Environments (SBIR) for Mechanism for Extreme Environments. In this subtopic, mechanical systems will need to operate on the dusty surface of the Moon for months to years and endure regolith dust with little to no maintenance. The purpose of this R&D effort is to develop a high-power wireless charging system that can operate in extreme environments from farms on Earth to lunar missions. The system will need to include redundancy functions for longer durability, be modular for further increased system lifespan, have a feedback system for dynamic receiver device movement, be physically sealed to prevent functional interference from regolith and other particles, and be thermally stable for harsh temperature extremities. At the completion of the Phase I project, the wireless power system will be capable of outputting more than 5kWs to the receiver device with the antenna and electronic housings completely sealed from the environment with no fan cooling. It will be able to endure regolith simulants up to 1kg, power the receiver device while in movement, and will be verified that there are no single-point electrical failures in the transmitter system. Given the high switching costs associated with a system failure, the system will also include new modularity functionality so that if one component or PCB in the inverter is not functioning properly, there will be a second inverter electrically coupled to the antenna module that can automatically initiate itself as a backup so that no single-point failure can occur in the electronics. Anticipated
Benefits: The primary NASA applications for the wireless power system will be to implement the receiver devices in future NASA mobile robots and the transmitter device on the Moon so that there is a more robust and durable charging infrastructure for future lunar missions. By implementing a robust wireless power system, NASA mobile robots can be used for longer periods of time and have increased system durability. The agricultural sector today is heavily transitioning towards autonomous and electric vehicles to reduce labor costs and improve productivity. To fully leverage the benefits of autonomy, wireless charging infrastructure needs to be developed so that tractors can power themselves when the farmer is not present while enduring environmental conditions, such as dirt interfering with fan cooling.
