Honda RFC and Astrobotic VSAT integration for Moon missions

Honda and Astrobotic plan to integrate regenerative fuel cell and solar array systems to support continuous power and long-term lunar missions.

American Honda Motor Co. and Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic have announced a joint development agreement that could mark a pivotal step toward building long-term energy infrastructure on the Moon. The collaboration will explore how Honda’s regenerative fuel cell (RFC) can be integrated with Astrobotic’s Vertical Solar Array Technology (VSAT) within the company’s planned LunaGrid power network.

Honda’s RFC is designed as a closed-loop system. During the lunar day, it uses solar energy to electrolyze water, producing hydrogen and oxygen. At night, it reverses the process, generating electricity from stored hydrogen while recycling water back into the system. The main advantage lies in its ability to deliver continuous power throughout the roughly 14-day lunar night.

Astrobotic is developing LunaGrid as a scalable commercial power service for a variety of missions and customers. Its foundation is a set of vertical solar systems: a 10 kW model and the larger VSAT-XL, which will stand about 34 meters tall and produce up to 50 kW. NASA has already supported testing in thermal vacuum chambers and awarded contracts through its SBIR program to advance the technology.

The upcoming feasibility study will simulate year-long illumination profiles at potential sites near the lunar South Pole. The goal is to determine how Honda’s high-pressure electrolyzer can be integrated into LunaGrid and what requirements the RFC system must meet to ensure reliable performance on the surface.

In parallel, Honda is preparing to test its electrolyzer aboard the International Space Station with partners Sierra Space and Tec-Masters. According to the company, a prototype has already completed dozens of cycles, equivalent to about three years of lunar operation. Astrobotic, meanwhile, is advancing LunaGrid-Lite, a demonstration project with cable-based power transmission, which has passed its critical design review and is moving toward flight hardware production.

The initiative reaches beyond space. Honda emphasizes that closed-loop energy systems developed for lunar use may also contribute to Earth-based sustainability efforts, supporting its carbon-neutrality goals. For Astrobotic, LunaGrid represents not only a technical achievement but also a commercial opportunity, positioning power supply as a vital resource for future lunar industries.

Together, the two companies envision a framework that could extend mission durations and shift the conversation from short-term visits to the prospect of a sustained human presence on the Moon.