An experiment on wireless transmission of electricity in space using a laser beam on the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) has been included in the research program. This is reported in the report of specialists of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, presented at the XXII Scientific and Technical Conference of the corporation. Such an experiment will take place for the first time.
"The long-term program of scientific experiments on the Russian segment of the ISS includes the Pelican space experiment - the study of the transmission of electrical energy by laser radiation between spacecraft," the document says.
It is noted that in the space experiment it is planned to transfer energy from the ISS to the Progress transport and cargo ship, which for this purpose will be diverted from the station first by 1-2 km, then the distance will increase to 5 km.
The report also says that wireless energy transmission technology can be used to power constellations of microsatellites orbiting the ISS and other spacecraft, as well as to transfer energy to hard-to-reach areas of the Earth from space solar power plants.
In October, it was reported that scientists conducted an experiment during the flight of a movie crew into space. Together with actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko, fruit flies were sent into space. They stayed on the ISS for the same number of days as the film crew, and on October 17 they were returned to earth. Scientists are studying how the flies survived the flight.