The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) plans to begin experiments in space-based solar power technology be a clean energy game-changer, according to Space News. It could also prove to be a potent tool for China’s effort to spread its power and influence throughout the world.
The first test would involve setting up a solar collector in low-Earth orbit in 2028 capable of transmitting 10 kilowatts to a ground receiving station. Then, in 2030, a solar power station would be deployed in geostationary orbit capable of transmitting a megawatt of energy across 35,800 kilometers to the Earth’s surface. These experiments would be followed by another station that would transmit 10 megawatts in 2035, leading to a 2-gigawatt station capable of powering a large city, in 2050.
The two-gigawatt array would be a kilometer in width with gigantic solar panels. Building it would…