Laser-Enabled Power Transmission Orbital Network (LEPTON)
Transformational power delivery for lunar missions
LEPTON is an NRL-led, OECIF-funded program developing a space-certified, laser wireless power beaming system for orbit-to-surface power transmission in the lunar environment
Demonstration in 2028 ~ Service Starts 2029
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Demonstration in 2028 ~ Service Starts 2029 〰️
CUTTING EDGE
Optical Wireless Power Transfer (OWPT)
LEPTON will demonstrate OWPT from low lunar orbit (LLO) by pairing a satellite-hosted, high-power laser with a high-efficiency photovoltaic receiver (Powerport). This results in a scalable architecture (Powergrid) capable of delivering electric power over hundreds of kilometers, thus reducing lunar surface operation’s dependency on solar illumination, extending mission lengths well beyond the current two-week limit, and enabling exploration into permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) such as deep craters.
MISSION EXTENSION
Increased Return on Investment
Our power beaming technology allows end-users to significantly reduce the mass allocation for batteries; a change that will dramatically lower the cost of launching, landing, and operating hardware on the lunar surface.
Are you designing 2-week missions because you want to? Or because you have to?
REDUNDANCY
Complements existing and future power delivery systems
Beyond orbit-to-surface applications, the LEPTON package has a wide variety of other use cases. Volta’s OWPT system adds a layer of resiliency to sites relying solely on cables for power delivery. It will be used for surface-to-surface power distribution from sources such as fission surface power (FSP) reactors or vertical solar array technology (VSAT) on both the Moon and Mars. Our system is uniquely suited for mobile or distributed nodes.