European Team Designed New Satellite Energy Harvesters
Researchers have developed antennas to capture radio waves and infrared light, targeting a 10 percent boost in power efficiency.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Energy
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The POWERSAT initiative has developed research-stage antennas designed to recover stray radio energy and harvest infrared sunlight for spacecraft. This approach aims to address the inherent power limitations of satellites by reclaiming energy that is currently lost to space.
Why it matters
Satellite missions are constrained by mass and volume requirements, making the efficient use of available energy critical for extended operational life. This research seeks to capture wasted spectrum to supplement traditional solar power systems.
The researchers are developing antennas that target an 80 percent conversion efficiency, significantly higher than the 30 percent typical of current solar panels. The system uses rectennas—antennas that convert radio frequency spillover into electricity—alongside millions of surface-mounted micro-antennas.
The players
European Innovation Council
A European Commission body that funds high-risk, high-impact research and emerging technologies.
POWERSAT
A multi-national research initiative involving partners from seven countries focused on satellite energy efficiency.
The details
The research team is utilizing rectennas—specialized circuits that rectify radio waves into direct current—to capture energy spillover. To address infrared loss, they are engineering arrays of millions of micro-antennas directly onto spacecraft surfaces to convert thermal radiation into electrical power. These methods aim to maximize the energy density of satellite power systems without increasing their total mass or physical footprint.
Timeline
Late 2026: The team plans to demonstrate solar-energy harvesting from microwaves.
End of 2027: The POWERSAT research project is scheduled to conclude.
Up to 10 years: The estimated time until the technology reaches operational orbit.
The Tech Race
Satellite energy efficiency has long relied on silicon-based photovoltaic cells which currently peak around 30 percent efficiency. The POWERSAT project marks a shift toward multi-modal harvesting, competing against standard solar arrays by reclaiming previously unusable radio and infrared frequencies.
This technology is in the research stage and will not reach active satellites for approximately 10 years. Once deployed, it is expected to increase the total available power for satellite instrumentation by 10 percent, potentially enabling more complex data processing and longer mission durations.
The takeaway
The research highlights a shift toward capturing ambient energy in orbit to circumvent the current limits of photovoltaic efficiency. Observers should track the scheduled 2026 microwave-harvesting demonstration as a key performance milestone for this multi-antenna architecture.
Further reading
For more on developments in power generation and storage, see our Energy section.
Live Poll
Should governments prioritize funding for experimental technologies designed to increase satellite energy efficiency?
