DIU is seeking a near-term, low earth orbit (LEO)-based prototype and demonstration to evaluate space power beaming (SPB) as a viable approach to remove the current power ceiling and improve the duty cycle for on-orbit systems.
SPB is envisioned as a multi-orbit utility, enabling long-range power delivery to multiple orbital regimes (Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), and beyond) and terrestrial locations.
While it is expected that SPB will eventually be multi-orbit capable, the Joint Force desires a near-term, LEO-based prototype and demonstration to evaluate the military utility of the capability.
Four lines of effort (LoE) are available to be addressed. Vendors can provide a single solution brief that addresses any one or combination of the LoEs. Submissions must indicate which LEOs are being addressed.
- LoE 1 – Space-to-Space Power Beaming – complete commercial solutions for transmitting power to space-based receivers
- LoE 2 – Space-to-Terrestrial Power Beaming – complete commercial solutions for transmitting power to terrestrial-based receivers
- LoE 3– Power Beaming Receivers – complete commercial solutions for receiving and converting the power that was transmitted from LoE 1 & 2 solutions
- LoE 4 – Next-Gen Power Beaming Components – commercial solutions for next-gen power transfer components designed to reduce SWaP and/or improve the manufacturability for SPB transmitting and receiving capabilities
Required Solution Attributes
- Rapid fielding – leveraging existing technology and investments wherever possible to minimise total cost and decrease time to on-orbit demonstration
- Energy delivered – measure & characterise energy delivered to each recipient
- Beam size – minimise beam receiver area to enable delivery to small receivers and minimise energy waste
- Operating ranges – LoE 1- deliver power to satellites orbiting up to 1,200 km; LoE 2 – deliver power to terrestrial receivers
Desired Solution Attributes
- Latency – minimal between power beaming events
- Maximum interoperability and integration – capable of delivering power to existing legacy systems without specialised receivers
- Scalable technology – design to be able to scale power levels as required by the use case
LoEs 1,2 & 3 – achieve lab-based demonstration within 12 months of award; Evaluation then to determine if solution will be ready for on-orbit prototype demonstration within 24 months of award; Prototypes are intended to lead to operational capability by 2030.
LoE 4 – solutions must incorporate existing technology currently at TRL 5 or higher and present a plan to achieve TRL 6 or higher by the time of on-orbit demonstration; Achieve a lab-based component demonstration within 6 months of award; Evaluation then to determine if solution is ready for integration into LoE 1, 2, 3 solutions.
Responses are due 22 July 2026.
