Power Cable Assemblies
ETFE-Insulated Tinned Copper Power Cables
ETFE-insulated tinned-copper power cable assemblies distribute electrical power throughout the lunar settlement, rated for up to 1500 volts and 400 amperes continuous. Conductors are sized to restrict resistive power losses to under 0.5 percent across the longest distribution runs. Lunar surface conditions expose cabling to hard vacuum and radiation, precluding standard PVC insulation. ETFE jacketing provides long-life vacuum stability across thermal extremes from –200 °C to +200 °C. Tinned copper prevents termination corrosion over a 50-year lifetime, while bend radii exceeding ten times the cable diameter prevent mechanical stress fractures.
ETFE-insulated tinned-copper power cables routed throughout the Ark, sized for 0.5%-loss budget over the longest runs.
Purpose
ETFE-insulated tinned-copper power cables routed throughout the Ark, sized for 0.5%-loss budget over the longest runs.
Context
Child of L2-PDM-HARN within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Tinned-Cu conductors prevent corrosion at termination
- ▸ETFE insulation rated for –200 to +200 C
- ▸Cable bend radius >10x diameter avoids stress fracture
- ▸Cross-section sized for I^2R loss <0.5% of transmitted power
- ▸Tray routing with strain relief at terminations
Typical implementations
- ▸ISS internal power cabling heritage
- ▸Apollo / Shuttle power harness assemblies
- ▸Gore space-rated cable assemblies
Lunar considerations
- ▸ETFE preferred over PVC for radiation/temperature
- ▸Long-life vacuum-rated insulation
- ▸Quick-disconnect via MIL-DTL-38999 at every FRU boundary
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | ETFE-insulated tinned-copper power cables routed throughout the Ark, sized for 0.5%-loss budget over the longest runs. |
| max continuous a | 400 |
| voltage rating v | 1500 |
| ir loss percent | 0.5 |
Physical
| mass kg | 50 |
| materials | Tinned Cu conductors, ETFE insulation jacket, PTFE conduit |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 0 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 50 |
| mtbf hours | 500000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Distributed power conductors
Requires
- Cable tray mounting
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Power Cable Assemblies" (L3-PDM-HARN-CABLE). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-PDM-HARN-CABLE
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.