Starpath Robotics taps Atomic-6 to develop deployable boom for lunar solar power tech
ATLANTA - Atomic-6 in Atlanta announced it has signed a development contract with Starpath Robotics in Hawthorne, Calif. to design a deployable composite boom for a new solar power generation system intended for lunar use, the companies announced Friday.
The collaboration pairs Starpath's lunar mining and infrastructure expertise with Atomic-6's composite manufacturing technology. Starpath’s program focuses on creating robotic mining operations capable of producing hundreds of tons of liquid oxygen annually for refueling and industrial purposes in space. The long-term goal is to scale production to tens of thousands of tons annually.
"The Power Tower’s deployable mast is a challenging component to manufacture," said Saurav Shroff, CEO of Starpath Robotics. "A stiff, reliable, and lightweight mast is important in optimizing power-per-mast and, equally importantly, increasing the visible land area on the Moon that can be serviced by high-data-rate long-range communication systems at the top of the tower. In the not-so-distant future tens, and then hundreds, and then thousands, of Power Towers establish cislunar capabilities suited for a multiplanetary species. To give a size perspective, the Power Tower will be a colossal structure, equivalent to almost one and a half NBA regulation-size basketball courts."
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Atomic-6 said its Space Mast technology provides 15% higher specific strength compared to conventional composites, making it well-suited for applications demanding high stiffness and low weight. The company has previously demonstrated the technology through U.S. Air Force contracts and its Light Wing solar array product line.
After completing the current contract, Starpath plans to evaluate the performance of Atomic-6’s composite mast. If successful, a follow-up contract could support the construction, deployment, and scaling of advanced systems on the Moon, with operations projected to begin in 2026.
