Solar-Powered Lasers for Space

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Space

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How bacteria are inspiring the next generation of space-borne lasers

Summary

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69% Informative

APACE project aims to use photosynthetic structures extracted from bacteria to power solar-powered spacecraft in space.

The team is looking at possibly using neodymium nano-crystals as the gain medium, and sunlight gathered by bacteria's photosynthesizing antennas will provide the photons to get the laser started and then maintain its activity.

The bacteria could be grown in space, perhaps on the International Space Station or on a satellite, removing the need for continual launches from Earth to maintain and replace old solar arrays.

The photosynthesizing apparatus automatically converts the sunlight into a laser without needing all that machinery.

The sky is the limit when it comes to the potential of this technology.

Should it prove successful, then by virtue of being a simpler, self-sustaining technology that doesn't require frequent space launches carrying heavy payloads, it could bring the cost of power-beaming down.

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English

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