Breakthrough by York University: Dyson-Harrop CubeSat achieves efficient space energy harvesting

Space-based energy harvesting has long been a focus of scientific research, particularly with the global demand for renewable energy continuing to rise. Traditional photovoltaic systems, despite their widespread adoption, face inherent limitations in terms of size, weight, and long-term stability under harsh space conditions, which restrict their widespread application for large-scale energy supply.

 

In a recent publication in the Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Professor Zheng H. (George) Zhu and his research team from York University, Canada, proposed a novel approach to space energy harvesting: the Dyson-Harrop CubeSat. This innovative design represents a significant advancement over conventional solar power technologies, leveraging the photoelectric effect to capture high-density energy from the solar wind directly, and offers a pathway toward clean and sustainable power generation in space.

 

“Our original motivation was to overcome the inefficiencies and physical constraints of traditional space solar power systems,” said Professor Zhu. “Inspired by the Dyson sphere concept, we aimed to achieve high power density in a compact and modular system suitable for rapid deployment.”

 

The Dyson-Harrop CubeSat system consists of three core components:

• Energy Harvesting Unit: A ring-shaped metal solar sail acts as the electron receiver, converting photons in the solar wind into electricity via the photoelectric effect.
• Tether Unit: This generates a magnetic field to guide solar wind electrons toward the receiver, further enhancing collection efficiency.
• Central CubeSat: A 3U platform, smaller than a shoebox, which stores harvested energy and can transmit it via microwave back to Earth or other spacecraft.

 

A key technological innovation lies in the operation principle. The Hall-effect thrusters on the CubeSat keep the main tether aligned with the direction of the solar wind. The magnetic field generated by the tether steers electrons from the solar wind to the receiver. Simultaneously, photons hitting the metal sail cause electrons to be released by the photoelectric effect, generating a continuous electric current. The number of escaping electrons matches the number of incident photons at dynamic equilibrium, ensuring stable current output.

 

The authors developed a theoretical model to analyze system performance, taking into account factors such as solar wind properties, sail geometry, and electron escape rate. Calculations indicate that the 3U CubeSat, with a total volume of only 0.003 cubic meters, can generate approximately 1 kilowatt of power, more than ten times greater than similarly sized conventional solar panels, which typically yield around 97.5 watts.

 

The Dyson-Harrop CubeSat demonstrates several key advantages:

• High Power Density: The system breaks the area limitations of photovoltaic arrays by harnessing the photoelectric effect, enabling far greater efficiency in energy collection.
• Scalable: The modular design allows for flexible scaling and rapid deployment in space missions.
• Sustainable and Clean: By drawing energy directly from the solar wind, the system offers a practically limitless, non-polluting power source suitable for future space and even terrestrial applications.

 

Despite its promise, the authors acknowledge several challenges ahead, including the long-term stability of materials in the space environment, optimizing system architecture, and integrating large-scale power transmission. “Our research shows that it is feasible to achieve a new level of efficiency and practicality in space energy harvesting,” Professor Zhu commented. “We are continuing to optimize the technology and expand its application potential.”

 

The development of the Dyson-Harrop CubeSat represents a significant step forward for space-based clean energy technologies, potentially enabling a new era of sustainable power for both space exploration and future terrestrial energy needs.

 

Original Source

Fuzhen Yao, Zheng H. Zhu. A novel Dyson-Harrop CubeSat for harvesting energy in solar wind [J]. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2025, 38(6): Article 103510,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2025.103510.
 

About Chinese Journal of Aeronautics 

Chinese Journal of Aeronautics (CJA) is an open-access, peer-reviewed international journal covering all aspects of aerospace engineering, published monthly by Elsevier. The Journal reports the scientific and technological achievements and frontiers in aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering, in both theory and practice. CJA is indexed in SCI (IF = 5.3, top 4/52, Q1), EI, IAA, AJ, CSA, Scopus.

 

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