What’s the Goal?
China wants to build a huge solar power station in space, orbiting roughly 36,000 km above Earth—high enough to stay fixed over one spot. This “solar space station” would collect sunlight 24/7 and beam electricity down via microwaves or lasers.
Why It’s Special
- No day/night or clouds: In space it’s sunny almost 99% of the time and 10× more intense than on Earth .
- Continuous clean power: Unlike solar farms on Earth, space-based systems work all day, every day.
Project Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| ~2025 | Ground tests in Chongqing and Xi’an for microwave transmission and assembly. |
| 2028 | First small satellite launch (~10 kW output) ~400 km up |
| 2030 | Mid-size station to 1 MW power at GEO for tech demonstration |
| 2035 | Large station in GEO delivering ~10 MW to Earth |
| 2050 | Full-scale commercial station (~2 GW capacity) |
How It Works
- In space, solar panels on a massive satellite capture sunlight.
- Energy conversion: Panels convert light to electricity, then to microwave/laser beams.
- Transmitting: Beams are directed to a receiver station on Earth.
- Receiving: Large ground antennas (called rectennas) convert beams back into clean electricity for the power grid.
What Challenges Still Remain
- Building very large solar arrays (up to 1 km across) in space.
- Developing heavy-lift rockets like Long March 9 to carry components.
- Making accurate beam control to safely transmit energy over 36,000 km.
Why It Matters
- Clean, reliable energy forever – day or night, anywhere on Earth.
- Could transform energy, reduce carbon emissions, and support remote areas or disaster zones.
- Places China at the cutting edge of space and energy innovation—globally competitive.
TL;DR
China plans to build a massive solar array in geostationary orbit, step-by-step from small demo satellites to full-scale 2 GW stations by 2050. This technology could revolutionize how we power the planet—cleanly, continuously, and globally.