Orbital Demonstrations for Large-Scale Deployable SPS

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is executing a major demonstration project with the goal of beaming power collected in space to expeditionary forces on Earth. The motivation for this capability is clear: assured energy supply with reduced vulnerabilities and lower-cost logistics. The AFRL project created to achieve this capability is Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR). SSPIDR is methodically pursuing rapid, demonstration-driven activities with increasing performance and integration level to reduce risk for an operational space solar power system.

SSPIDR has two major thrust areas:

(1) incremental demonstrations and
(2) developing critical technology elements (CTEs).

Three initial in-orbit prototype demonstrations are being developed in Phase I to advance the TRL of the needed component technologies to enable an operational space solar power system.

(1) Arachne,
(2) SPINDLE, and
(3) SPIRRAL.