Will there be an epic orbital laser before 2035?

Must be a big laser, intended to do something awesome. Someone bringing a laser pointer to the ISS doesn't count. Not does communications technology, that's old news. A ground-based laser also doesn't count, even if it's cool and has something to do with orbit. (If there's an orbiting mirror reflecting it somewhere though, that's awesome enough that I might make an exception.)

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What about a laser for optical space-ground communication?

@spiderduckpig Nah, communication is boring

predictedYES

What counts as big? You put LISA as something that would qualify but prototypes for the laser don’t look very large.

@Flig LISA is big enough to be awesome

Circumnavigating the sun man

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What about Starlink’s optical space lasers? Awesome or no? Nvm it’s communication

https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3457469/first-in-space-laser-power-beaming-experiment-surpasses-100-days-of-successful

SWELL has been providing nearly continuously about 1.5 watts at the power beaming receiver’s output with an end-to-end efficiency around 11%, more than ten times the team’s efficiency goal. The power beaming link distance is 1.45 meters.

This is pretty sad.