US Navy tests transporting solar energy from space to Earth

The US Navy plans to capture solar energy from space and then transport the collected energy to Earth. The Americans think they can capture sunlight more efficiently in space.

According to the US Navy, modules are currently being built in the Naval Research Laboratory that can be used to build a solar power plant in space. The so-called sandwich concept is used to capture solar energy and send it to Earth. This means that conventional photovoltaic cells generate energy from sunlight, which is then converted into radio signals. An antenna then transmits these signals to a location on Earth.

The Americans want to use robots to make the solar power plant. These have to build up a structure in the space that is then unfolded. Prototypes have already been built, but it is still unclear which version will eventually be launched into space.

According to the inventors, there are several advantages to generating energy in space. For example, solar panels in space are more efficient because they are not dependent on the day-night rhythm and the weather. In addition, it should be possible to send the collected energy to remote locations on Earth, where conventional energy supplies would be expensive.

It is still unclear when a space mission can be set up to implement the plans. For example, it is not known what the necessary financing is.