Frequently Asked Questions

Space-based solar power systems are highly resilient, having no single points of failure and being highly modular it would be difficult to degrade by a kinetic projectile.

Weaponisation of space is also prohibited by International Treaty.

The space-based solar power system and its retrodirective beam steering would also be protected by secure encrypted protocols to prevent disruption or theft of the energy by an adversary.

The satellite architecture is highly resilient to damage from space debris or micrometeorites, with no single point of failure and a highly modular design. In the event of a collision, the satellite would continue to function with minimal performance degradation and repair or replacement of modules would be designed into the operational concept. The choice of operational orbits can also reduce the risk of space debris damage.

One operational architecture is for the satellites to be assembled in a Medium Earth Orbit, just above the inner Van Allen belt and with reduced space debris risk. CASSIOPeiA proposes the use of a Geosynchronous Laplace Plane orbit, which is free from congestion and with potentially lower space debris risk. Additionally it can use Highly Elliptical Orbits, which could be chosen to minimise the risk of space debris.

It is intended that the launch trajectory will be designed to largely avoid the Van Allen belts.

Instead, we will transit around it using an inclined elliptical transfer orbit to MEO assembly orbit.