Laser-powered networks set to transform coordination of future satellite constellations

Laser-powered networks set to transform coordination of future satellite constellations
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 04, 2025

The University of Michigan, supported by a $2 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, has launched a three-year research project aimed at enabling satellites in orbit to exchange power and momentum using laser links. The initiative, named ORACLE (Orbital Architectures for Cooperative Laser Energetics), seeks to augment existing laser-based data interlinks with new modes for transferring energy and facilitating fuel-free satellite maneuvers.

Satellite constellations such as Starlink and Kuiper currently employ laser communications to transfer information quickly, but each satellite relies on its own propulsion and power systems. ORACLE is designed to allow satellites to share resources and momentum directly through synchronized laser light connections, potentially reducing the need for onboard fuel and improving the efficiency of propulsion systems.

Project lead Christopher Limbach, assistant professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, stated, "With the explosive growth of satellite constellations, we are now at a moment where expanding cooperation between satellites via laser links can create capabilities we've never seen before. By integrating data, power and momentum sharing into a single laser-based framework, ORACLE could transform constellations from collections of independent satellites into dynamic, interconnected systems."

The research is organized into four primary areas:

- Development of advanced materials enabling satellites to efficiently convert laser beams into usable power while acting as communication channels and solar power converters. Seth Hubbard of the Rochester Institute of Technology oversees this aspect.

- Exploration of laser beam bouncing methods between satellites to amplify light-driven thrust, supporting propellant-free maneuvering. Limbach leads this effort.

- Design of robust control and stabilization algorithms to maintain precise laser links amidst a variable space environment, headed by Dennis Bernstein, James E. Knott Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan.

- Creation of decision-making frameworks for large satellite networks, allowing coordinated resource redistribution and maneuvers involving thousands of satellites. Giusy Falcone, assistant professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan, directs this research.

The final year will see the team combine all technologies to demonstrate a prototype laser terminal capable of simultaneously transferring data, power, and momentum. The approach is expected to extend mission lifespans, increase resilience to disruptions, simplify constellation reconfiguration, and help clear space debris.