Orbital Power-Beaming Assets for Lunar Applications (OPAL)

One of the biggest challenges facing the expansion of lunar surface exploration is access to a reliable and flexible power source for purposes of surviving lunar night and exploring permanently shadowed regions. Optical power-beaming - in this case, the transmission of energy via lasers - provides an attractive alternative to the power needs of lunar surface missions. The Orbital Power-Beaming Assets for Lunar Applications (OPAL) project is a concept development effort led by engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center that seeks to tackle this challenge by advancing optical power-beaming technologies and our understanding of the possibilities these technologies may unlock.