Star Catcher intends to develop a network of satellites that serves as an orbital power grid, beaming sunlight to other spacecraft's solar panels. Credit: Star Catcher Industries
WASHINGTON — The Defense Innovation Unit is seeking commercial proposals to beam electrical power between spacecraft and from orbit to the ground in a demonstration within two years, an effort to move a long-studied technology toward operational military use by the end of the decade.
The Defense Innovation Unit, or DIU, is asking companies to submit proposals by July 22 for systems that could transmit power to satellites in low Earth orbit or to receivers on the ground. DIU is a Pentagon organization that helps the military adopt commercially developed technologies through faster and more flexible contracting.
Companies selected for the project would be expected to complete a laboratory demonstration within 12 months of receiving an award. The government would then assess whether the technology is ready for an on-orbit prototype demonstration within 24 months.
The Pentagon wants access to an operational space power-beaming capability by fiscal 2030. It hasn’t decided whether the government would buy and operate the system or purchase power from a commercial provider as a service.
