US Air Force Wants to Beam Solar Power from Space to Earth

• 26 May 2021
• Construction Focus
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The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is developing a project called SSPIDR (“Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research”) aiming to harvest solar energy in space and beam it down for usage on earth.

According to a video released by AFRL last month, ground-based solar, while seemingly an attractive solution, is limited by area, the size of collectors required, and climate.

However, if the solar panels were in orbit, they could have unfettered access to the sun’s rays, providing an uninterrupted supply of energy, the video added.

The AFRL envisions sunlight-harvesting satellites equipped with innovative “sandwich tiles,” which will convert solar energy into radio frequency (RF) power and beam it to Earth. Meanwhile, on earth, receiving antennas will transform that RF energy into usable power, according to Space.com.

One SSPIDR experiment, known as Arachne, is scheduled to launch to Earth orbit in 2024, and will test power conversion and beaming in space. (Vedio)

• Technology and Engineering
• Energy and Environment