Past laboratory experiments at high energy density have provided insights into the physics of supernovae, supernovaremnants, and the destruction of interstellar clouds. In a typical experimental setting, a laser-driven planar blast waveinteracts with a compositionally homogeneous spherical or cylindrical target. In this work we propose a new laboratoryplatform that accounts for curvature ofthe impacting shock and density stratification of the target. Both characteristicsreflect the conditions expected to exist shortly after a supernova explosion in a close binary system. We provide detailsof a proposed experimental design(laser drive, target configuration, diagnostic system), optimized to capture the keyproperties of recent ejecta–companion interaction models.Good qualitative agreement found between our experimentalmodels and their astrophysical counterparts highlights the strong potential of the proposed design to probe details of theejecta–companion interaction for broad classes of objects by means of laboratory experiments at high energy density

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