Nature-Inspired Solar Lasers Aim to Revolutionize Space Power

Scientists develop a new technology to convert sunlight into laser beams for sustainable space missions.

The APACE project, involving researchers from the UK, Italy, Germany, and Poland, seeks to harness photosynthetic bacteria to convert sunlight into laser beams.
This innovative approach could provide efficient power transmission for satellites, lunar bases, and potentially Earth, bypassing traditional electricity-based systems.
The technology repurposes natural light-harvesting mechanisms from bacteria, which are highly efficient at capturing solar energy, to amplify sunlight into laser beams.
Researchers are developing both natural and artificial light-harvesting structures, with the first prototype expected for testing within three years.
If successful, this could mark a breakthrough in space power, supporting future missions to Mars and advancing clean energy solutions on Earth.