Space Resource Generation

Roadmap Creators: | Lanie McKinney

Technology Roadmap Sections and Deliverables

This technology roadmap has the unique identifier:

1SRG - Space Resource Generation

The number 1 denotes that this is a Level 1 technology roadmap at the market level. In reference to our technology, Level 1 encompasses all conversion technologies used in space, Level 2 describes the product level, for example oxygen generation. Level 3, the system level, could reference a solid oxide electrolysis system for oxygen production and Level 4, the subsystem level could represent the material used for the electrode stack.

Roadmap Overview

Space Resource Generation refers to the thermal or chemical conversion processes to generate resources in space environments which relax launch requirements, and subsequently enable a range of exploration and commercial activities in space. The commercial space market is set to be valued at ~1.8 trillion USD by 2035, and space resource technologies will be needed to support numerous human space stations, rocket refueling, metal production, radiation shielding, etc. in Low-Earth Orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Space resource generation includes both “in-situ resource utilization” (ISRU) and resource recycling technologies, because these two categories of technologies share similar operating principles and may provide different value across different environments.

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Design Structure Matrix (DSM) Allocation

The 1-SRG tree from the DSM above shows us that the Space Resource Generation (1-SRG) has a range of

part of a larger company-wide initiative on electrification of flight (1ELE), and that it requires the following key enabling technologies at the subsystem level: 3CFP Carbon Fiber Polymers, 3HEP Hybrid Electric Propulsion and 3EPS Non-Propulsive Energy Management (e.g. this includes the management of the charge-discharge cycle of the batteries during the day-night cycle). In turn these require enabling technologies at level 4, the technology component level: 4CMP components made from CFRP (spars, wing box, fairings …), 4EMT electric machines (motors and generators), 4ENS energy sources (such as thin film photovoltaics bonded to flight surfaces) and 4STO (energy storage in the form of lithium-type batteries).

Roadmap Model using OPM

We provide an Object-Process-Diagram (OPD) of the 2SEA roadmap in the figure below. This diagram captures the main object of the roadmap (Solar-Electric Aircraft), its various instances including main competitors, its decomposition into subsystems (wing, battery, e-motor …), its characterization by Figures of Merit (FOMs) as well as the main processes (Flying, Recharging).

An Object-Process-Language (OPL) description of the roadmap scope is auto-generated and given below. It reflects the same content as the previous figure, but in a formal natural language.

Figures of Merit

The table below show a list of FOMs by which solar electric aircraft can be assessed. The first four (shown in bold) are used to assess the aircraft itself. They are very similar to the FOMs that are used to compare traditional aircraft which are propelled by fossil fuels, the big difference being that 2SEA is essentially emissions free during flight operations. The other rows represent subordinated FOMs which impact the performance and cost of solar electric aircraft but are provided as outputs (primary FOMs) from lower level roadmaps at level 3 or level 4, see the DSM above.

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Besides defining what the FOMs are, this section of the roadmap should also contain the FOM trends over time dFOM/dt as well as some of the key governing equations that underpin the technology. These governing equations can be derived from physics (or chemistry, biology ..) or they can be empirically derived from a multivariate regression model. The table below shows an example of a key governing equation governing (solar-) electric aircraft.