A4 3 Wireless Power Transfer Across the Earth-Moon Gap

Abstract

Wireless power transfer using microwaves has been investigated for space-based solar power and planetary exploration. In this paper, using diffraction-limited beam spread and rectenna efficiency data from literature, we explore the feasibility of transmitting power from the Earth to the Moon. We demonstrate that conversion efficiencies remain the primary bottleneck in rectenna performance and apertures of orders of kilometers are required to provide a significant quantity of power to a lunar rectenna.