High-temperature photovoltaics for solar-electric Oberth maneuvers: ton-class payload feasibility for interstellar-precursor missions

Abstract

In-situ exploration beyond the giant planets remains rare because timely Solar System escape demands very high specific orbital energy, which existing concepts typically achieve only with small payloads, super-heavy launchers, or nuclear-powered propulsion. Motivated by laboratory demonstrations of high-intensity, high-temperature (HIHT) solar cells operating near $400\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$, we assess a solar-electric Oberth maneuver that concentrates thrust near a $0.3\,\mathrm{AU}$ perihelion. Evolutionary steering optimisation indicates that an expendable Falcon Heavy could deliver ton-class payloads to $200\,\mathrm{AU}$ within 25 years if HIHT power systems reach specific powers about $10\%$ above present-day conventional levels with a Jupiter gravity assist, or about twice those levels on a direct trajectory, under the stated assumptions. The gain stems from a threefold increase in specific orbital energy for the same $\Delta v$ compared with a $1\,\mathrm{AU}$ spiral. These results suggest HIHT photovoltaics could shift from survival hardware to propulsion-enabling technology for high-energy deep-space missions.