Revolutionizing Energy: Successful Space-to-Earth Transfer Pilot Sets Stage for Powering 10,000 Homes in Next Phase

• Sommana Yan
• 25 February 2024
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In a groundbreaking achievement, the Space Solar Power Demonstrator (SSPD) has accomplished the first-ever transmission of solar power from orbit to Earth. Conducted through the Microwave Array for Power-transfer Low-orbit Experiment (MAPLE), the experiment marks a significant stride towards establishing space-based solar power stations,  according to iflscience.com published on February 15, 2024.

Launched in January 2023, the SSPD’s MAPLE system demonstrated its capability to transmit approximately 100 milliwatts of power through space within two months of its deployment. The versatility of the technology allows the power beam to be directed in any chosen direction. During an eight-month testing period, the system successfully beamed about 1 milliwatt of power to the Earth’s surface in three separate trials.

The envisioned objective involves deploying a modular spacecraft constellation, each approximately a kilometer in scale, capable of transmitting sufficient power to cater to 10,000 homes. The individual satellites, initially compact 1-meter cubes, unfurl into flat squares measuring 50 meters per side. One side of these squares is equipped with solar cells, while the other features microwave transmitters. Crucially, MAPLE’s ability to transmit energy in any direction eliminates the need for extensive transmission infrastructure, making it ideal for remote locations or emergency scenarios.

“In the same way that the Internet democratized access to information, we hope that wireless energy transfer democratizes access to energy,” lead researcher and co-director of SSPP,  Ali Hajimiri, said last year.

“No energy transmission infrastructure will be needed on the ground to receive this power. That means we can send energy to remote regions and areas devastated by war or natural disaster.” Ali added.

In the latest development of SSPD’s initiative, additional components, including DOLCE (Deployable on-Orbit ultraLight Composite Experiment) and ALBA, have undergone testing alongside the successful Microwave Array for Power-transfer Low-orbit Experiment (MAPLE). These components play vital roles in advancing the capabilities of the spacecraft and contribute to the overall success of the​ entire humanity.

• Technology and Engineering