The continuous progress in the efficiency of solar cells, now close to 30%, and of
solid-state electronic devices at 80%, make feasible the possibility of small space
infrastructures carrying solar cells and wireless power distribution modules.
Furthermore, materials that are currently under development, such as graphene,
which is 200 times stronger than steel and tolerates temperatures above 1300°F,
could be industrialized within a decade
42
and used for the structural parts of the
space station.
In 2012, the US Air Force published the report Energy Horizons: The US Air
Force Science & Technology Vision 2011-2016
43
in which SBSP was considered
one of the most promising energy sources for military systems. Four years earlier,
in the document Space Based Solar Power as an opportunity for Strategic
Security,
44
the National Space Security Office had outlined the strategy to implement an operative SBSP within the twenty-first century.
Some countries are already working on small-scale technology demonstrators.
In 2012, the Russian space agency revealed that it had built a 100-kW prototype.
45
The China Association for Science and Technology has announced its intention to
build and launch its own first demonstrator by 2025,
46
with the target of building a
gigawatt-level commercial space solar power station by 2050.
47
JAXA has declared
its intention to launch a 1-gigawatt SBSP
48
by mid-century and is building a small
satellite of several kilowatts for the first tests in orbit in the coming years.
The purpose of all these prototypes will be to test the wireless transmission of
energy directly from space. The technique was first demonstrated in 1893 by
Nikola Tesla.
49
We should thank Tesla for paving the way for many discoveries,
such as alternating current, fluorescent lighting, hydroelectric power and even the
radio. Tesla successfully illuminated vacuum tubes, called thermionic valves,
without using wires, but instead by exploiting the phenomenon of electrical resonance. He switched the lights on and off remotely by adjusting the frequency of
42
https://www.theengineer.co.uk/graphene-metamaterial/.
43
United States Air Force Report. 2012. Energy Horizons: US Air Force Vision 2011-2026. AF/
ST TR 11-01.
44
http://space.nss.org/space-based-solar-power-as-an-opportunity-for-strategic-security/.
45
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130226-space-based-solar-farms-power-up.
46
https://aerospace.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Vedda-Jones_SolarPower_20201006_0.pdf.
47
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/plans-for-first-chinese-solar-power-station-in-space-revealed-20190214-p50xtg.html.
48
https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/green-tech/solar/japan-demoes-wireless-powertransmission-for-spacebased-solar-farms.
49
Lomas, Robert. 1999. The Man Who Invented the Twentieth Century: Nikola Tesla, Forgotten
Genius of Electricity. Headline Publishing.
Space Economy: A Business On the Launch Pad 93
solid-state electronic devices at 80%, make feasible the possibility of small space
infrastructures carrying solar cells and wireless power distribution modules.
Furthermore, materials that are currently under development, such as graphene,
which is 200 times stronger than steel and tolerates temperatures above 1300°F,
could be industrialized within a decade
42
and used for the structural parts of the
space station.
In 2012, the US Air Force published the report Energy Horizons: The US Air
Force Science & Technology Vision 2011-2016
43
in which SBSP was considered
one of the most promising energy sources for military systems. Four years earlier,
in the document Space Based Solar Power as an opportunity for Strategic
Security,
44
the National Space Security Office had outlined the strategy to implement an operative SBSP within the twenty-first century.
Some countries are already working on small-scale technology demonstrators.
In 2012, the Russian space agency revealed that it had built a 100-kW prototype.
45
The China Association for Science and Technology has announced its intention to
build and launch its own first demonstrator by 2025,
46
with the target of building a
gigawatt-level commercial space solar power station by 2050.
47
JAXA has declared
its intention to launch a 1-gigawatt SBSP
48
by mid-century and is building a small
satellite of several kilowatts for the first tests in orbit in the coming years.
The purpose of all these prototypes will be to test the wireless transmission of
energy directly from space. The technique was first demonstrated in 1893 by
Nikola Tesla.
49
We should thank Tesla for paving the way for many discoveries,
such as alternating current, fluorescent lighting, hydroelectric power and even the
radio. Tesla successfully illuminated vacuum tubes, called thermionic valves,
without using wires, but instead by exploiting the phenomenon of electrical resonance. He switched the lights on and off remotely by adjusting the frequency of
42
https://www.theengineer.co.uk/graphene-metamaterial/.
43
United States Air Force Report. 2012. Energy Horizons: US Air Force Vision 2011-2026. AF/
ST TR 11-01.
44
http://space.nss.org/space-based-solar-power-as-an-opportunity-for-strategic-security/.
45
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130226-space-based-solar-farms-power-up.
46
https://aerospace.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Vedda-Jones_SolarPower_20201006_0.pdf.
47
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/plans-for-first-chinese-solar-power-station-in-space-revealed-20190214-p50xtg.html.
48
https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/green-tech/solar/japan-demoes-wireless-powertransmission-for-spacebased-solar-farms.
49
Lomas, Robert. 1999. The Man Who Invented the Twentieth Century: Nikola Tesla, Forgotten
Genius of Electricity. Headline Publishing.
Space Economy: A Business On the Launch Pad 93