By 
January 3rd, 2023
Image credit: Caltech/Space Solar Power Project
Updated: Momentus established contact with its Vigoride vehicle on its first orbital pass and confirmed that both solar arrays are deployed, and the vehicle is generating power and charging its batteries. Priorities for this flight include hosting Caltech’s Space-based Solar Power Project payload, deploying a satellite with the Qosmosys Zeus-1 payload, and testing Vigoride’s performance in space, including its Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (MET) system.
Image credit: Momentus
Today’s SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of over a 100 payloads includes prototype gear of the Caltech Space Solar Power Project (SSPP).
The payload was successfully deployed. Given an operational status, this Space Solar Power Demonstrator will evaluate key components of how best to harvest solar power in space and beam that energy back to Earth.
According to Caltech, a Momentus Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle onboard the SpaceX rocket on the Transporter-6 mission carried the 110-pound (50-kilogram) prototype solar power tech demo to space.
DOLCE portion of the Space Solar Power Demonstrator is lowered onto the Vigoride spacecraft built by Momentus.
Image credit: Caltech/Space Solar Power Project
Main experiments
It consists of three main experiments, a Caltech statement explains, each tasked with testing a different key technology of the initiative:
- DOLCE (Deployable on-Orbit ultraLight Composite Experiment): A structure measuring 6 feet by 6 feet that demonstrates the architecture, packaging scheme and deployment mechanisms of the modular spacecraft that would eventually make up a kilometer-scale constellation forming a power station;
- ALBA: A collection of 22 different types of photovoltaic cells, to enable an assessment of the types of cells that are the most effective in the punishing environment of space;
- MAPLE (Microwave Array for Power-transfer Low-orbit Experiment): An array of flexible lightweight microwave power transmitters with precise timing control focusing the power selectively on two different receivers to demonstrate wireless power transmission at distance in space.
A flexible prototype antenna sheet for Caltech’s power transmitter array. Each orange square on the yellow tile is an antenna driven by a single transmitter.
Credit: Lance Hayashida/Caltech
An additional fourth component of the solar power demo is a box of electronics that interfaces with the Momentus Vigoride spacecraft computer and controls the three experiments.
Image credit: Caltech/Space Solar Power Project
Go to this animated look at Caltech’s Space Solar Power Demonstrator at:
Posted in Space News
