Associate Professor Sho Fukuda and Professor Ryo Akasaka Faculty of Science and Engineering Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, have been provisionally selected for the game-changing project "Research on Lunar Heat Pump Systems" in the 13th Call for Research Proposals (RFP) for Moon to Mars Innovation, conducted by the Space Exploration Innovation Hub of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, Tokyo). This research will be conducted jointly in collaboration with Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd. (Tokyo), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) (Tokyo), and JAXA.
In outer space, due to the vacuum environment, heat generated by equipment such as probes is generally dissipated to the outside through radiation. However, on the lunar surface, the temperature difference between day and night is extremely large, and it is anticipated that the ambient temperature may far exceed the design tolerance temperature of electronic equipment, making it difficult to adequately control heat with conventional heat dissipation methods. As a result, the equipment overheats, leading to risks of failure and challenges such as the need for larger and heavier heat dissipation panels.
Associate Professor Fukuda specializes in thermal engineering and heat transfer engineering, and has previously conducted research on the heat transfer characteristics during condensation and evaporation in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment using environmentally friendly refrigerants, as well as the overall performance evaluation of the equipment.
Furthermore, Professor Akasaka has long been a leading researcher in the thermophysical properties of refrigerants used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, and has been involved in the development of international standards (ISO) for environmentally friendly refrigerants, earning him a high reputation worldwide in the field of refrigerants. Professor Akasaka's knowledge, backed by these international achievements, will serve as an important foundational technology in the space industry, where thermal control under extreme environments is required.
In this research, Associate Professor Fukuda and Professor Akasaka will take the lead, utilizing their expertise in thermal engineering and mechanical engineering to investigate and analyze thermal control technologies for the lunar environment. Through collaboration with companies and research institutions, we will advance research and development that goes beyond academic knowledge and is geared towards practical implementation.
The research period is scheduled from April 2026 to March 2028, and the plan is for phased research and development, starting with ground demonstrations and then moving on to demonstrations in orbit and even on the lunar surface.
[Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering / Industry-Academia Co-innovation and Research Promotion Headquarters]
