Development and Demonstration of an End-to-End Laser Power Transfer System for Lunar and Space Applications

Laser Power Transmission (LPT) has emerged as a promising solution to meet power delivery needs in extraterrestrial environments, driven by recent advancements in both laser and photovoltaic technologies, as well as the revitalized global focus on lunar exploration. The decreasing cost of space launches and improvements in energy transmission and reception capabilities have brought LPT closer to feasible implementation in operational environment. The system architecture includes three primary components: a laser source, a precision pointing mechanism, and a photovoltaic receiver. This research focuses on the photovoltaic receiver, investigating its efficiency and thermos-mechanical behavior under lunar conditions. The main objectives are to assess the receiver's ability to convert laser energy into usable power on the Moon, examine how temperature gradients influence the conversion efficiency, and perform a thermomechanical analysis to determine if the cells are at risk of deterioration due to thermal stresses. The study combines experimental characterization and simulation analysis using COMSOL modeling tools. While the experimental phase tests the cells under low temperature (down to 77K) and low pressure (down to 1.3×10−3) to reproduce conditions similar to lunar environment, the simulation considers multiple physics such as laser power, solar radiation, radiation cooling, and ground temperature, providing insights into the thermal and mechanical response of the photovoltaic receiver in the context of LPT. This integrated approach aims to advance the feasibility of using LPT for reliable and efficient power delivery in extraterrestrial environments.