Is the US Space Force Researching Space-Based Solar Power?

The "technology building blocks" for space solar are already available, reports Clean Technica. "It's just a matter of scaling, systems integration, and adjustments for space-hardiness."

And several groups are looking at it — including the U.S. Space Force To help push costs down, the California Institute of Technology has proposed a sandwich-type solar module that integrates solar harvesting along with conversion to a radio frequency into one compact package, accompanied by a built-in antenna. Last month researchers at the school wrapped up a months-long, in-space test of different types of solar cells. Another approach is illustrated by the Michigan startup Virtus Solis, an industry partner of the University of Bristol. Last June the company and the school received £3.3 million in funding from the UK Net Zero Innovation program, for developing an open-source model for testing the performance of large, centralized antennas in space. "The concept depends upon the use of gigascale antenna arrays capable of delivering over 2GW of power from space onto similar gigascale antenna arrays either at sea or on the ground," the school explained.

As for how such a thing would be launched into space, that's where the U.S. Space Force comes in. Last August, the Space Force awarded a small business contract to the U.S. startup Orbital Composites. The company is tasked with the mission of developing its patented "quantum antenna" and in-space fabrication tools for secure communications in space applications, including space-to-space as well as space-to-Earth and vice versa. The basic idea is to let 3D printing doing much of the work in space. According to Orbital, in-space fabrication would save more than 100 times the cost of applying conventional fabrication methods to large-scale orbiting antennas. "By harnessing the potential of In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM), the company eyes the prospect of creating significantly larger space antennas," Orbital Composites explains. "By fabricating antennas in space, larger and more complex designs are possible that eliminate the constraints of launch and rocket fairings...."

If you're guessing that a hookup between Virtus and Orbital is in the works, that's a good guess. On February 1, at the SpaceCOM conference in Orlando, Florida, Virtus Solis let slip that it is working with Orbital Composites on a space solar pilot project. If all goes according to plan, the project will be up and running in 2027, deploying Virtus's robot-enabled fabrication system with Orbital's 3D printing. As of this writing the two companies have not posted details, but Space News picked up the thread. "The 2027 mission is designed to showcase critical power-generation technologies including in-space assembly of solar panels and transmission of more than one kilowatt to Earth," Space News explained. "The news release calls the 2027 mission "a precursor to large-scale commercial megawatt-class solar installations in space by 2030...."

To be clear, Orbital's press release about its new Space Force quantum antenna contract does not mention anything in particular about space solar. However, the pieces of the puzzle fit. Along with the Virtus and Grumman connections, in October of 2022 Orbital won a small business contract through SpaceWERX, the Space Force's innovative technologies funding arm, to explore the capabilities of ISAM systems.
"SpaceWERX comes under the umbrella of the U.S. Air Force's AFWERX innovation branch, which has developed a program called SSPIDR, short for Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research Project," the article points out. (While Virtus believes most space-based solar power systems could deliver megawatt hours of electricity at prices comparable to today's market.)

Yes they are

[burtosis]

The reason they are researching space based power isn’t because beaming power back from space at far below 1% efficiency after spending tens of millions on just the launch is cost effective or even effective at all, it’s because an incredibly powerful microwave transmitter with a phased array antenna can lock on and overwhelm or even fry the electronics of other satellites at long range. It’s a far more useful and effective space weapon than it will ever be for power and that’s a great cover story for its use.

Re: Yes they are

[Redmeatsauce69]

Last time I checked you need 60k per kilogram launched, Yeap expensive

Re:

[K. S. Kyosuke]

60k per kilogram launched

Except STS got retired twelve years ago already.

Re:

[Chris Mattern]

And replaced by cheaper stuff. Falcon 9 has been launching for over a decade and is under $3k a kilo.

Re:

[XXongo]

And replaced by cheaper stuff. Falcon 9 has been launching for over a decade and is under $3k a kilo.

Falcon-9 published launch cost is 67 million dollars per launch, to low Earth orbit. So the original statement, "tens of millions," seems accurate.

...except you're not going to put up a space power system on a single Falcon 9 launch.

Ref: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/2... [cnbc.com]

Re:

[geekmux]

Falcon-9 published launch cost is 67 million dollars per launch, to low Earth orbit. So the original statement, "tens of millions," seems accurate. ...except you're not going to put up a space power system on a single Falcon 9 launch.

The Falcon Heavy is even cheaper per kilogram to orbit.

If you're measuring per kilo, then we already know you're charging drug-dealer rates.

STFU about being "cheaper" already.

Re:

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Price is one thing, cost is another one. We know the cost is below $30M per launch [cnbc.com], it just makes no sense to charge less if your competition sucks to no end. Why say no to free money?

Re:

[Cpt_Kirks]

SpaceX has it down to about $5,500 per kilo.

Re:

[necro81]

The reason they are researching space based power isn’t because beaming power back from space at far below 1% efficiency after spending tens of millions on just the launch is cost effective or even effective at all, it’s because an incredibly powerful microwave transmitter with a phased array antenna can lock on and overwhelm or even fry the electronics of other satellites at long range. It’s a far more useful and effective space weapon than it will ever be for power and that’s a gre

Re:

[burtosis]

Just use a solar panel. Microwave receive antennas from a geostationary orbit or even low earth requires a phased array of something like half a square kilometer, not just some PCB antenna you can hide inside the tank or UAV. The coupling won’t even work properly in rain or fog or even overcast conditions.