# US 9,038,957 B1 · Systems and methods for providing energy to support missions in near earth space

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- Number: US 9,038,957 B1
- Document ID: US9038957B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/349,393
- Filed: 2012-01-12
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-12
- Assignees: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Applicants: Richard Fork
- Inventors: Richard Fork
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038957B1

## CPC

- B64G 1/10: Artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles (space shuttles B64G1/14)
- B64G 1/1085: {Swarms and constellations}
- B64G 1/4282: {for transmitting power to earth or other spacecraft}
- B64G 1/44: using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays
- B64G 1/408: {Nuclear spacecraft propulsion}
- B64G 1/411: {Electric propulsion}
- B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

A system has a plurality of spacecraft in orbit around the earth for collecting energy from the Sun in space, using stimulated emission to configure that energy as well defined states of the optical field and delivering that energy efficiently throughout the region of space surrounding Earth.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for providing energy to support missions in near earth space comprising:
a plurality of spacecraft orbiting the earth, each of the spacecraft configured to convert sunlight into energy and to transmit light pulses derived from the energy, the spacecraft positioned such that the plurality of spacecraft can transmit pulses derived from the energy to any point in near earth space.