Beaming the Watts Down: NASA × Ascent Solar’s Thin-Film Array Sets the Stage for Space-to-Earth Power Transmission
Space-based solar power is the ambitious concept of harvesting solar energy in space and beaming it down to Earth. The idea dates back to 1968, when engineer Peter Glaser first proposed placing giant satellites in orbit to collect sunlight and transmit power wirelessly to Earth space.com. In theory, SBSP could tap a virtually unlimited 24/7 supply of solar energy in orbit, free from weather or nightfall. Experts note that orbital solar panels could generate 8 times more power than the same area on Earth’s surface pv-magazine-usa.com. Unlike ground solar or wind farms that stop producing at night or in bad weather, space solar stations could deliver continuous clean energy day and night, potentially displacing fossil fuels and stabilizing grids space.com. Interest in SBSP has surged in recent years thanks to technological advances and the urgency of climate change. Advocates argue that modern robotics, more efficient wireless power transmission, and cheaper heavy-lift rockets like SpaceX’s Starship could finally make SBSP feasible space.com. For example, Starship’s ability to loft large payloads might enable assembly of huge solar arrays in orbit at far lower cost than before. A constellation of satellites in geosynchronous orbit could continuously beam gigawatts of power via microwaves to
