A new solar power system could help support long-term operations on the Moon, as Blue Origin has unveiled a tall, vertically deployed array designed to generate electricity at the lunar south pole.
The space company, founded by Jeff Bezos, shared an animation of the system on X on September 25. The footage shows the hardware landing on the Moon before deploying vertically above the lunar surface.
“Our Power Tower is a 20-meter-tall, vertically deployed solar array system designed to provide more than 10 kilowatts of power for Moon Base operations at the lunar south pole,” Blue Origin wrote in the post.
The post also links to a video showing a deployment test conducted on Earth on July 22, 2026. The test shows a central pole extending upward from the base, followed by arms branching out from the centre to deploy solar arrays that fold downward.
The company said the system has a modular design that could support future surface power networks. This would allow electricity to be distributed beyond the lander to other assets requiring power.
The Power Tower appears to build on an earlier technology known as the Lunar Array Mast and Power System (LAMPS). The system was developed by Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin subsidiary, and tested at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in 2024.
Honeybee Robotics has also been involved in NASA’s Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) project. The initiative is developing solar array systems intended to provide the power required for a sustained human and robotic presence on the Moon.
Blue Origin’s announcement identifies the lunar south pole as the planned operating location for the Power Tower. The system could therefore support NASA’s broader plans for a future lunar base through the Artemis programme.
NASA’s Moon Base project is currently in its first phase, which runs until 2029. Under the current timeline, the lunar base is expected to become operational by 2032.
The Power Tower could form part of the infrastructure needed to provide reliable electricity for future operations on the lunar surface, particularly in the challenging environment around the Moon’s south pole.
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