Solar Lasers Could Power Future Space Missions

An international research team is working to develop a technology that directly converts sunlight into laser beams in order to enable the transmission of power over vast distances. The approach, inspired by photosynthesis, could allow power to be transmitted between satellites, from satellites to lunar bases, or even back to Earth.

The APACE project brings together researchers from the U.K., Italy, Germany, and Poland to develop the laser under laboratory conditions before testing and refining its suitability for deployment into space environments.

“Sustainable generation of power in space, without relying on perishable components sent from Earth represents a big challenge. Yet, living organisms are experts at being self-sufficient and harnessing self-assembly,” said Erik Gauger, a professor from Heriot-Watt University’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, who leads the project’s theoretical modelling aspects.

The solar-powered laser system being developed under the APACE project could enable power to be sent via satellite, offering new opportunities for space missions. Courtesy of WikiImages via Pixabay.

The team will begin by extracting and studying the natural light harvesting machinery from specific types of bacteria that have evolved to survive in extremely low light conditions. These bacteria have specialized molecular antenna structures that can capture and channel almost every photon of light they receive.

“Regular sunlight is usually too weak to power a laser directly, but these special bacteria are incredibly efficient at collecting and channeling sunlight through their intricately designed light harvesting structures, which can effectively amplify the energy flux from sunlight to the reaction center by several orders of magnitude,” Gauger said.

In parallel, the team will develop artificial versions of these structures and new laser materials that can work with both natural and artificial light harvesters. These components will then be combined into a new type of laser material and tested in increasingly larger systems.

Unlike conventional semiconductor solar panels, which convert sunlight into electricity, the proposed bio-inspired system builds on a sustainable organic platform with potential for replication in space. This would allow for the direct onwards distribution of power without relying on an electric intermediary.

“If our new technology can be built and used on space stations, it could help to generate power locally and even offer a route to sending power to satellites or back to Earth using infrared laser beams,” Gauger said.

The researchers expect to have their first prototype ready for testing within three years.