Directing light for thermal and power applications in space

Abstract

Solar collectors can provide power for electricity, thermal propulsion, and material processing (e.g., mining asteroids). In one aspect, an apparatus for collecting solar energy and simultaneously protecting against damage from a resulting energy beam includes a solar energy collection system including at least one concentrator and a target configured to use, store, or convert the solar energy, the collection system configured to cause solar energy to focus on the target, at least one sensor configured to detect misalignment of the concentrator by determining that some or all of the collected solar energy is offset from the target, and a safety system configured to redirect the energy or interpose a safety structure for shielding other non-target systems from receiving too much solar energy from the collection system.