THE STORY
Pulse Space, a Washington-state startup developing laser systems capable of transmitting power and data between spacecraft in orbit, has been awarded a $40 million contract by the U.S. Space Force. The technology would allow satellites to wirelessly recharge other spacecraft using focused laser beams — a capability that could dramatically extend the operational lifetime of military and commercial satellites without requiring physical docking or refueling.
THE DOUGH
Wireless power beaming in space could create an entirely new orbital services market, complementing the in-space refueling approaches pursued by companies like Orbit Fab. The military application is immediate: extending the life of high-value reconnaissance and communications satellites without revealing their location through rendezvous operations. Commercial applications could follow as constellation operators seek to maximize asset utilization.
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THE POSSIBILITIES
If laser power beaming works at scale, it could solve one of the fundamental constraints of small satellite design: the tradeoff between payload mass and solar panel area. Satellites could be built smaller and more capable if they could receive supplemental power from a dedicated power-beaming constellation.
THE HURDLES
Laser power beaming over orbital distances requires extraordinary pointing accuracy — maintaining a focused beam on a target moving at kilometers per second. Atmospheric interference affects ground-to-space applications, and the overall wall-plug efficiency of laser power transmission remains low compared to direct solar collection.
WHAT TO WATCH
- Pulse Space's demonstration mission timeline and on-orbit test results
- Competing power-beaming approaches from other defense contractors
- Integration with Space Development Agency's proliferated architecture
