CiTIUS leads a revolutionary new international project to power satellites and space vehicles using high-power laser energy

To develop a laser converter capable of transmitting wireless energy in the kilowatt (kW) range with an efficiency of more than 80%, thus reducing the size of batteries and extending the useful life of space devices: with this objective 'RePowerSiC' starts, the new research project coordinated by CiTIUS that has just received funding through the prestigious EIC Pahtfinder call of the Horizon Europe programme. aimed at funding pioneering high-risk research projects that explore radically new and disruptive technologies.

The consortium proposes a paradigm shift in the power systems of remote devices, and  universities and institutions from Denmark, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland participate, as well as  space agencies such as the European Space Agency (ESA), among other world-class organizations and companies.

 Motivation and transcendence

The high-power, high-efficiency laser beam construction in RePowerSic promises to revolutionize the remote power paradigm. / CiTIUS

The main goal of RePowerSic (Anglo-Saxon acronym for 'SiC-based high-efficiency and high-power laser beam space systems') is to overcome the limitations of solar energy conversion technologies in space, which currently rely on battery-backed solar panels – limiting their ability to generate power as vehicles move away from the sun. The technology developed in this project will allow the wireless transmission of energy over long distances using high-power lasers, increasing efficiency, reducing weight and costs, and extending the useful life of space devices.

To this end, RePowerSic has as its main objective the development of a laser converter built on the basis of silicon carbide (SiC) as the main element; a semiconductor material known for its high energy efficiency and resistance to extreme conditions, which makes it an ideal candidate for space applications. High-efficiency laser converters based on silicon carbide promise to be a disruptive breakthrough, as they offer multiple advantages: they are more efficient at converting laser energy and have a reduced weight, which lowers production costs. In addition, SiC allows for better heat dissipation, reducing the need for complex cooling systems and consequently reducing energy consumption. Moreover, their durability and resistance to extreme conditions extend the useful life of the devices, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing electronic waste. All these characteristics make silicon carbide a more ecological and sustainable technology, endorsing this material as a key option for long-term sustainable solutions in fields such as space exploration or high-efficiency terrestrial applications.

The new technology will also facilitate deep space exploration, by providing energy more efficiently to space vehicles in permanent need of permanent power, such as satellites or rovers, autonomous space exploration devices designed to move on the surface of a planet.

Vision of the Future and terrestrial applications 

Visual recreation of possible applications of the new technology. / CiTIUS

Beyond space exploration, the technology developed in RePowerSiC will also have _domestic _ applications on planet Earth; since the project faces the challenge of transferring energy on demand and without the need for cables, sectors such as agriculture or industry will benefit from this new paradigm. Wireless power transmission systems will have direct application, for example, on the use of aerial or aquatic drones in agricultural and industrial sectors, as well as to improve access to remote areas on Earth. A change of model that will lead to the creation of new markets by significantly reducing dependence on batteries, also contributing to reducing electronic waste.

Looking to the past, creating the future

CiTIUS researcher Antonio García Loureiro, head of the project, reflected on how RePowerSic will make it possible to push space exploration to limits that are currently unacceptable, by providing space vehicles and robots with the energy they need: "the technology in development will play a crucial role in expanding our understanding of the universe and in advancing human civilization."  Observed. "It will achieve this by making feasible a variety of applications, operations, and exploration missions, which until now were out of reach." "Think, for example, of future objectives in space exploration," he continues, "which include goals as ambitious as sending robots beyond the confines of the solar system, or establishing continuous access to complex destinations such as the Moon and its far side, asteroids, or even Mars," he adds.

For her part, her colleague at CiTIUS and co-head of RePowerSIC, Natalia Seoane Iglesias, looked back to assess the implications of the new project: "The scientists and engineers who successfully tackled the space challenges of the past could not foresee the diversity of applications that their innovative work would find on Earth," she says. "And while we cannot predict exactly how space exploration will benefit us in the future, ongoing developments already indicate the potential for significant advantages in a multitude of applications, such as the discovery of new materials, advances in transport systems, improvements in computer technology, and more." The researcher, an expert in the field of semiconductors, believes that "in the same way, the advancement of wireless power transmission technology from space will also allow us to expand the range of applications on our planet," she concludes.

At the forefront of global research

The EIC Work Programme is an initiative of the European Commission through the European Innovation Council. Under the prestigious Horizon Europe research grant programme, this scheme supports research and development of pioneering and disruptive technologies. Within it is the EIC Pathfinder, a type of call focused on high-risk research projects that seek scientific breakthroughs with the potential to transform industries and create new markets. In its 2023 edition, the programme allocated €120 million to finance projects through the Pathfinder Challenge calls, focusing on specific challenges such as solar energy in space, digitalisation in construction and efficient cooling, among others.

The award of the RePowerSiC project  highlights the excellence of the proposal promoted by CiTIUS, which was selected for its ability to revolutionise the transmission of energy by laser in space, after a thorough evaluation to which hundreds of proposals have competed throughout Europe. The new technology thus represents a key innovation for the European Union for future space missions, allowing greater efficiency and cost reduction in deep space exploration.