Cue SpaceX.
From Interesting Engineering, May 15:
The system electronically steers its energy beam 360 degrees, eliminating moving parts.
UK-based startup Space Solar has successfully completed crucial tests of its power-beaming technology, with an aim to deliver wireless power from space.
The company said that space-based solar power could provide reliable, uninterrupted clean energy around the clock and in any weather, addressing the intermittency issues faced by traditional wind and solar sources.
“A solar panel in space delivers 13x the amount of energy that the same panel on Earth generates, because there is no night, no weather and no atmosphere in space.”
The company has recently concluded its 18-month, $2.26-million “Cassidi” project, which was funded by the UK Space Agency and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)....
....MUCH MORE
Mr. Musk, you're on in 3...2...1...
From NextBigFuture, May 16:
SpaceX Starship Will Enable Megawatts of Space Based Solar by 2030 and Gigawatts by 2040
Virtus Solis wants to group satellites into massive arrays—100,000 satellites for 100MW—allowing for a highly scalable energy platform. Arrays can grow to 20 Gigawatt or more. Virtus Solis and Silicon Valley startup Orbital Composites are preparing to begin robotic assembly of hexagonal photovoltaic tiles — essentially solar panels — in a medium Earth Molniya orbit in 2027. Their goal is transmission of more than one kilowatt to Earth. Virtus Solis won a $1.92 million contract in January from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy to develop technology for wirelessly transferring radio-frequency power. Highly efficient, miniature RF components will benefit SBSP campaigns as well as unrelated space programs, Tate said.
Space based solar will have greater than 90% availability, for 5–20x more sunlight than terrestrial solar due to no weather or night time. Sunlight is 40% more intense in orbit....
.....MUCH MORE
