The project is part of the £7.4 million national SPRINT (SPace Research and Innovation Network for Technology) program. SPRINT provides unprecedented access to university space expertise and facilities and helps businesses through the commercial exploitation of space data and technologies. The power beaming prototype work follows on from an initial feasibility study by Space Power and the University of Surrey on laser transmission funded through the SME Innovation Voucher scheme. Now, the team will investigate and verify the efficiency benefits of laser-based power beaming, develop the new technology, and obtain data to enable them to design a prototype for small satellites in space.
The SPRINT project is an important development from our feasibility study with the University of Surrey that enables us to approach customers with confidence and demonstrate the improved efficiencies available by using auxiliary power systems. By focusing on light optics and power beaming, we are looking to increase small satellite operating efficiencies by a factor of between 2X-5X.
“We have seen the benefits of powering satellites by laser which enables smaller satellites, simpler systems and fewer resources – whilst performing more work to help us understand our planet better. For us, this is a neat solution with long term benefits, not least for lunar outposts and asteroid mining but back here on earth too.”
SOURCES – University of Surrey
Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com
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Closer to 45 minutes in the dark for each 90 minute low earth orbit.
LEO sats are what, 15 minutes in shadow out of a 90 minute orbit? Unless you are specifically trying to run high power while in the dark…
GEO sats do go dark for a while when eclipsed though, and anything on the moon faces 2 weeks. Being able to supply extended keep-alive power ain't shabby.
So, this is a substitute for batteries on satellites? You light up the solar array with a remote laser while the satellite is passing through Earth's shadow?
Seems to be a solution for a problem which should already be going away with dropping launch costs.
If these are strong enuf, they could also slow junk to deorbit.
Oboy, here we go again…