The lunar South Pole has gained attention from scientific and commercial sectors due to long-term exploration plans and its possible water ice deposits, which may enable future life support and fuel production. Deep craters in permanent shadow make this region a focal point for NASA's Artemis program and other international initiatives.
Recent technology demonstrations aim to overcome hars Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 18, 2025
The lunar South Pole has gained attention from scientific and commercial sectors due to long-term exploration plans and its possible water ice deposits, which may enable future life support and fuel production. Deep craters in permanent shadow make this region a focal point for NASA's Artemis program and other international initiatives.
Recent technology demonstrations aim to overcome harsh environmental limits facing lunar terrain vehicles. Star Catcher Industries has developed an orbital energy grid to deliver power on demand by collecting sunlight in lunar orbit, converting it to laser-based energy, and beaming it wirelessly to solar panels on the surface. At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Star Catcher's orbital energy grid transmitted energy to Intuitive Machines' Moon RACER Lunar Terrain Vehicle.
During a multi-day test campaign, Star Catcher surpassed previously established wireless power transmission benchmarks set by DARPA earlier in the year. The experiment verified that efficient optical beaming can supply significant power to standard solar panels, eliminating the need for customized receivers. This capability may allow future missions to receive scalable, on-demand energy without extensive ground infrastructure.
Conventional power solutions - solar panels and regenerative fuel cells - operate well in sunlit areas but are poorly suited to shadowed terrain, particularly during the lunar night. Solar arrays require precise setup and add significant mass. Regenerative fuel cells involve cryogenics and gas storage, further increasing weight and complexity. These systems contribute hundreds of kilograms and raise mission costs.
Optical power beaming presents an alternative by wirelessly transmitting concentrated solar energy from lunar orbit to surface vehicles. This reduces the need for labor-intensive ground installations and supports both real-time operations and backup needs. The method enables prolonged activity in shadowed regions and lighter vehicle designs, enhancing mission flexibility and duration.
Star Catcher's on-orbit demonstration is planned for 2026, with multi-orbit deployment targeted for 2030. The orbital grid could bolster the space infrastructure that Intuitive Machines develops, including the Space Data Network and delivery services. As lunar exploration becomes more autonomous and distributed, optical power beaming and persistent connectivity may underpin extended commercial activity.
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