PHOTON PIPELINE: A DISTRIBUTED RESONATOR NETWORK FOR LONG-DISTANCE OPTICAL POWER, COMMUNICATION, AND PHOTONIC PROPULSION

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces the Photon Pipeline, a distributed network of resonant optical stations designed to maintain, amplify, and guide coherent light over extremely long distances in space. The architecture operates as a free-space photonic waveguide, enabling the transport of optical energy, high-bandwidth communication, and propulsion-grade radiation pressure without the divergence losses inherent to conventional lasers.

Each station functions as a Reinjection Resonator Node (RRN), which captures the incoming beam, restores its spatial mode, compensates for phase drift, and re-emits a high-fidelity optical beam to the next station. This chain enables optical transport across thousands of kilometers with minimal loss, effectively acting as a “light conduit” or photonic pipeline.

The Photon Pipeline enables four breakthrough applications:

1. Long-distance photonic propulsion with maintained beam intensity.
2. Optical power delivery across interplanetary distances.
3. Ultra-stable, ultra-high-bandwidth free-space communication.
4. Distributed interferometric sensing with baselines exceeding current limitations.

The architecture is modular, scalable, and compatible with existing resonator and laser-injection technologies. This work proposes a feasible experimental roadmap and identifies key optical and mechanical engineering requirements for Phase I validation.