Harbin Institute of Technology researchers propose a new terrain-aware framework for jointly optimising coverage, connectivity, and cost, enabling the first system-level design of laser power-beaming networks for extreme exploration tasks in the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions
The Moon’s polar regions present one of the most alluring yet forbidding frontiers in human space exploration. Within the deep craters of the lunar south pole lie permanently shadowed regions (PSRs)—areas that have not seen sunlight for billions of years and which harbour valuable water ice deposits that could support future lunar bases. However, these same regions exist in perpetual darkness, with temperatures plunging below -230°C, making them inaccessible to traditional solar-powered equipment. While space agencies and commercial entities have proposed solutions ranging from fission reactors to orbital power stations, a fundamental question has remained unanswered: how can we design a practical, cost-effective energy delivery system that reliably powers exploration activities in these sun-forbidden zones?
A study published in Planet (Volume 2, Issue 1) by Professor Lifang Li and Pengzhen Guo’s team at the Harbin Institute of Technology offers a systematic research approach to this challenge. Their paper, titled “Optimal laser power beaming network for powering Lunar permanently shadowed regions: a coverage–connectivity–cost trade-off,” introduces a sophisticated terrain-aware network optimisation framework that advances laser power beaming from traditional single-link analysis to multi-station, system-level optimisation, offering a new perspective for future lunar energy infrastructure deployment. The work arrives at a critical juncture when multiple spacefaring nations are racing to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon, with NASA’s Artemis programme, China’s international lunar research station, and various commercial ventures all targeting the south pole for permanent outposts.
The fundamental challenge of lunar polar exploration lies in its paradoxical energy geography. The crater rims receive nearly continuous sunlight, making them ideal locations for solar energy harvesting and power deployment, yet the scientifically valuable crater floors—where water ice accumulates—remain in permanent darkness. Previous technical efforts have largely been limited to terrain-constrained point-to-point transmission links. Researchers have demonstrated laser power transmission over terrestrial distances, developed efficient photovoltaic converters for laser light, and proposed orbital power relay constellations. What has been lacking is a systems-level understanding of how multiple power transmission nodes can work together as a coordinated network under the triple constraints of improving effective target-area coverage, enhancing regional connectivity, and controlling infrastructure costs.
The team has tackled this optimisation problem head-on, developing a mathematical framework that treats lunar power delivery as a network design challenge rather than a simple point-to-point transmission problem. Their approach begins with realistic geography, using high-resolution topographic data from NASA’s Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) and focusing on the region near Shackleton crater. The model incorporates terrain obstruction, local illumination conditions, beam diffraction divergence, pointing errors, and lunar dust attenuation, thereby establishing a comprehensive framework for lunar laser transmission and network deployment. It is important to note that the power supply nodes in this study are not simply fixed “laser stations”; instead, the system adopts a split architecture in which fixed support platforms are responsible for power acquisition and supply, while the laser emission units can be adjusted and repositioned locally to achieve more favourable transmission conditions. Based on this framework, the team simulated how multiple emission units could transmit laser energy to receivers mounted on rovers, hoppers, or in-situ resource utilisation equipment operating in permanently shadowed areas.
The core innovation of the study lies in the first simultaneous optimisation of three key performance dimensions. Coverage ensures that more scientifically valuable PSRs can receive energy support when needed, whether for short rover traverses or long-term operation of fixed equipment. Connectivity is not simply about adding more isolated power-supply points, but about reducing fragmentation of the powered areas and creating a more continuous spatial structure, thereby lowering the risk that a mobile explorer will unintentionally leave the powered region during cross-regional movement and supporting sustained exploration tasks. Cost constraints recognise that every transmission unit, every square metre of receiver array, and every tonne of equipment delivered to the lunar surface carries a substantial price tag. By treating these three factors as interdependent variables rather than separate considerations, the team derived a terrain-aware optimised laser power-beaming network configuration that balances infrastructure scale and operational capability.
The study’s findings offer practical decision support for lunar base planning. The research shows that terrain-aware optimised deployment can significantly improve power coverage and regional connectivity in the south polar PSRs: the effective coverage ratio increases from 10.76% to 27.55%, while regional connectivity rises from 39.93% to 98.92%. Compared with the baseline scheme, which selects sites solely on the basis of local high-illumination conditions, the optimised configuration significantly improves overall network performance while keeping infrastructure requirements under control. More importantly, the team not only optimised the station selection, but also refined the local positioning of the laser emission units, enabling previously fragmented powered areas to be connected more effectively and providing more reliable sustained energy support for mobile exploration tasks on the lunar surface.
From a technical standpoint, the research advances laser power beaming beyond the laboratory demonstrations that have characterised the field to date. Recent experiments have shown that high-efficiency semiconductor lasers can maintain stable operation across the temperature extremes expected in lunar environments, while photovoltaic receivers have demonstrated conversion efficiencies that make laser power transmission economically viable. The HIT team’s contribution synthesises these technological building blocks into an architectural framework that provides lunar base mission planners with guidance on how emission units can be deployed, how different nodes can work together, and how overall system performance can be balanced across coverage, connectivity, and cost under complex lunar terrain conditions.
The broader significance of this work extends beyond the lunar context. As space exploration moves toward permanent human presence beyond Earth, the ability to deliver power wirelessly across challenging terrain will become increasingly essential. The same optimisation principles that the team has applied to lunar craters may also be transferable to Martian canyons, asteroid mining operations, or even terrestrial applications where conventional power infrastructure is impractical. The study establishes a methodological foundation for thinking about space power networks as integrated systems rather than isolated links—a perspective that will prove invaluable as humanity’s reach into the solar system expands.
The timing of this publication aligns with a surge of interest in lunar power solutions from multiple sectors. NASA has recently accelerated its Fission Surface Power programme, while commercial entities are proposing orbital power satellite networks and tower-based laser transmission systems. Each approach has its advocates, but all share a common need for the kind of systems-level thinking that the HIT team has now provided. By establishing rigorous optimisation criteria, this research enables apples-to-apples comparisons between different power delivery architectures and provides objective guidance for the difficult investment decisions that lie ahead.
Perhaps most encouragingly, the study demonstrates that laser power beaming networks exhibit clear engineering potential, while the relevant enabling technologies continue to mature. The required laser efficiencies have been demonstrated in laboratory settings; pointing and tracking systems have achieved the necessary precision for Earth-orbital applications; and photovoltaic receivers have been tested under simulated lunar conditions. What has been missing until now is the confidence that these components can be assembled into a system that reliably meets mission requirements at acceptable cost. The team has provided that confidence through rigorous analysis and optimisation.
As spacefaring nations prepare for the next decade of lunar exploration, the question is no longer whether we can deliver power to the Moon’s darkest places, but how to do so most effectively. This study by the Harbin Institute of Technology provides a systematic design approach, advancing laser power beaming from a single-link concept to a networked solution for mission planning. For the rovers, drilling systems, and life-support systems that may one day operate in the eternal twilight of lunar craters, reliable power supply will be an essential foundation for the continued advance of deep-space exploration.
DOI:10.15302/planet.2026.26008