Lunar Energy Resources Programme

The Lunar Energy Resources thematic programme at TechTheMoon addresses one of the most critical challenges of long-duration lunar habitation: sustainable energy supply on the Moon. The programme supports startups developing technologies to identify, quantify, and exploit resources available in the lunar regolith, particularly during the 14 days of darkness when solar power is unavailable.

Lunar regolith contains significant quantities of metals — including iron, aluminium, and titanium — as well as oxygen locked in oxides. TechTheMoon incubates companies working on metal combustion energy systems, in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) technologies, and related instrumentation. A key portfolio example is Fenix Energy, which develops cogeneration systems based on combustion of metallic particles — applicable first for off-grid industrial markets on Earth, and then for lunar base power during dark periods.

The programme also encompasses technologies for mapping and quantifying energy-relevant resources on the lunar surface, including spectroscopic instruments and chemical analysis devices capable of operating in the harsh lunar environment (radiation levels 200x Earth, temperatures from +120°C to -230°C, abrasive regolith dust).

Startups in this programme benefit from CNES expertise in planetary instrumentation, access to the SpaceShip France prototyping facility, and connections to Airbus and Thales Alenia Space industrial networks.