Russian Scientists Propose Charging Satellites Using Land-Based Lasers

Russian scientists from the Novosibirsk-based Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics have proposed a project in the field of space communications that envisages charging space satellites by means of land-based laser equipment, the head of the institute's research laboratory said Monday.

NOVOSIBIRSK (Sputnik) — The Institute of Nuclear Physics has started experimenting on a new powerful free-electron laser with record parameters that do not exist anywhere else in the world.

"The number of broadcasting satellites is constantly rising, although they have limited reserves of power supply. It is known that solar panels provide about 10 kW. Charging satellites with infrared emission from the Earth could provide about 100 kW. It is very interesting," Nikolai Vinokurov told reporters.

According to Vinokurov, building several powerful free-electron lasers for charging satellites could lead to a technological breakthrough in the field of space communications.