The velocity independence of bearing drag torque becomes very important in high speed applications. The rotational speed of the bearing was limited due to wear in conventional mechanical bearings. In active magnetic bearings, bearing loss is proportional to the square of speed, thus causing consumption of a lot of energy at high speed operation. Superconductor magnetic bearing systems have many promising applications. A flywheel kinetic energy storage system incorporating superconductor magnetic bearings can be used for renewable energy storage from fluctuating sources such as the wind.
Most mechanical devices utilize bearings as important functional components.
Compared to conventional mechanical bearings, the superconductor magnetic bearing is superior because of its extremely low bearing loss, but it lacks stiffness to support sizable loads and operates only under cryogenic conditions. Thus, it fits naturally in deep space which is a cold vacuum and away from any significant source of gravity. Conditions on the Moon also correspond to a cold vacuum. The extensive presence of dust, which is a problem for conventional mechanical bearings, could also be mitigated by using wide gaps in superconductor magnetic bearings. The demand of extreme precision is met with the almost complete absence of friction in superconductor magnetic bearings.