Paul Jaffe

{{Short description|American electrical engineer}}

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| image = Paul Jaffe 180212-N-NO204-443.jpg

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| birth_date = 1973

| birth_place = United States

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| fields = electrical engineer, spacecraft engineer, power beaming, space solar

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| alma_mater = University of Maryland, College Park BSEE
Johns Hopkins University, MSEE
University of Maryland, College Park, PhD

| thesis_title = A Sunlight to Microwave Power Transmission Module Prototype for Space Solar Power

| thesis_url = https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/14811

| thesis_year = 2013

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Paul Jaffe (born 1973) is an American electrical engineer who works in the Spacecraft Engineering Department, United States Naval Research Laboratory. He is known for research on power beaming and space-based solar power. His Ph.D. Thesis (2013) was "A Sunlight to Microwave Power Transmission Module Prototype for Space Solar Power." He is currently a Program Manager in DARPA's Tactical Technology Office.

One of his specialties is building and testing space modules.{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.wired.com/2014/03/space-solar/ | title=The Navy's Plan to Beam Down Energy from Orbiting Solar Panels| magazine=Wired| date=2014-03-17}}

In March 2016 Jaffe and team member Col. Peter Garretson (USAF) won award categories during the first Department of Defense ‘Diplomacy, Development, and Defense (D3) Innovation Challenge.{{cite web |title=NRL Space-Based Solar Power Concept Wins Secretary of Defense Innovative Challenge |url=https://www.nrl.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/2529732/nrl-space-based-solar-power-concept-wins-secretary-of-defense-innovative-challe/ |accessdate=29 May 2023 |website=nrl.navy.mil |publisher=U.S. Naval Research Laboratory}}

He is the principal investigator for a space experiment that was launched into space in May 2020, and which provided data to inform the development of solar power satellite technology.{{cite web |title=CNN exclusive: A solar panel in space is collecting energy that could one day be beamed to anywhere on Earth |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/23/americas/space-solar-energy-pentagon-science-scn-intl/index.html |website=www.cnn.com |date=24 February 2021 |publisher=CNN |accessdate=4 March 2021}} He is also the principal investigator of the Space Wireless Energy Laser Link (SWELL), the first experiment to demonstrate laser power beaming in space.{{cite web |title=First In-Space Laser Power Beaming Experiment Surpasses 100 Days of Successful On-Orbit Operations |url=https://www.nrl.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/3457014/first-in-space-laser-power-beaming-experiment-surpasses-100-days-of-successful/ |website=www.nrl.navy.mil |date=13 July 2023 |publisher=U.S. Naval Research Laboratory |accessdate=14 January 2024}}

Jaffe oversaw the execution of a DARPA demonstration in 2025 that set a new power beaming distance record of 8.6 km, delivering more than 800 W from a laser transmitter to a photovoltaic receiver.{{cite web |title=DARPA Program Sets Distance Record For Power Beaming |url=https://www.darpa.mil/news/2025/darpa-program-distance-record-power-beaming |website=www.darpa.mil |date=16 May 2025 |publisher=Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency |accessdate=18 May 2025}}