Astrobotic says it has completed flight model acceptance testing for a wireless charging system that incorporates technology from Seattle-based WiBotic — and that could help rovers roam across the surface of the moon.
The system is designed to provide reliable, high-efficiency power transfer amid the extreme conditions of the lunar surface, including a night that lasts 14 Earth days. It was developed by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic and WiBotic with assistance from the University of Washington, Bosch and NASA’s Glenn Research Center.
“This is the foundation for a unified, interoperable power standard for the moon and Mars,” Astrobotic CEO John Thornton said in a news release. “We’re offering a wireless charging solution that can support cross-agency, cross-industry missions, built to survive the harshest planetary environments. If your assets need dependable power on the surface, this is the plug they’ll need.”
WiBotic’s co-founder and CEO, Ben Waters, said the system’s successful qualification is a “major step forward.”
