China's space solar power station: million tons cost up to $ 1 trillion

[lawxx]

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Development of space solar power station Chinese "four-step" scenario

Currently, the domestic space solar power station is still in its infancy stage. China Academy of Space Technology in the space solar power station sponsored national seminar on the development of technology, experts proposed the development of space solar power station in China "road map." Summed up in four stages:

Phase I: 2011 -2020

Full analysis of space solar power plant applications, space solar power station to carry out detailed design of system solutions and key technologies, key technologies for authentication.

Verify wireless energy transmission technology focus, efficient high-power solar power technology, launched large-scale structure of the assembly and high voltage power supply system, there are ground-power wireless energy transmission experiment, the ground started large-scale structure and assembly technology, testing, to face the stratosphere airship wireless energy transmission experiment, relying on the space station launched a large-scale structure and assembly technology testing.

Phase II: 2021 -2025 years

Use of our space station platform, the participation of the astronauts to conduct China's first low-orbit space solar power system development, system validation carried out in 2025. Focus on verification of large deployable space structures and assembly of large space condenser system and its control, power supply management system, large-scale structure of the attitude control technology, wireless energy transfer technology (laser, microwave), space solar power plant operation and maintenance management .

Phase III: 2026 -2040 years

In the low-orbit validation of key technologies on the basis of further research more economically and technically viable space solar power system solutions and key technologies, breaking the track between the high-power electric propulsion technology, developed by Earth's orbit validation system, about 2030 around the launch of the space - ground, space - space wireless energy transmission system to carry out validation, the development of commercial systems provide important operating parameters. System operating life of 10 years. Preliminary consideration of the system for their own space in the low-orbit assembly, and the use of the space station and astronauts some assembly work, and solve problems in space assembly, assembly and testing is completed, the overall delivered to geosynchronous orbit.

Phase IV: 2036 -2050 years

Combined with the operational status verification system, combined with technological development, the development of China's first commercial space solar power systems, space solar power plant to achieve commercial operation, operational life of 30 years.

Space solar power station faces huge challenges

The current building space solar power station is the first technical problem. Space solar power station is a huge project for existing spacecraft technology made a great challenge: a large scale, quality and reach million tons, higher than the current satellite four orders of magnitude, requires new materials and new vehicle technology; area of ​​several square kilometers, higher than the current satellite six orders of magnitude, we need a special structure, assembly and attitude control of space technology; power, generating power for GW, higher than the current satellite six orders of magnitude, the need special power management and thermal control technology; long life, at least 30 years, compared with more than double the current satellites, new materials and in-orbit maintenance technology; high efficiency, the need for advanced space solar power conversion technology and microwave conversion transmission technology.

Second is cost. Some experts estimate, the construction of a space-based solar power would cost 300 billion to 1 trillion U.S. dollars. Therefore, the cost might be restricting the development of space solar power station of the main factors. In the new concepts, new technologies and large-scale commercial before the income is difficult to compensate for the overall system construction and operating costs.

 

[applesauce]

so gigawatts of power sent wirelessly....suppose it beams it to a location not designed to receive said power from space...

 

[akinkhoo]

so gigawatts of power sent wirelessly....suppose it beams it to a location not designed to receive said power from space...

well that would mean we would have some BBQing...

 

[Patrician]

It's about time that human space quest leads to some solid payback to mankind.

As it is, decades of space exploration have done little to make the lives of those at the ground, any better.

Space exploration has yielded little to the masses of the countries that have pursued it.

...I'm not talking about satellites.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Expect major breakthroughs in launch technology before this becomes feasible.

 

[ao333]

It's about time that human space quest leads to some solid payback to mankind.

As it is, decades of space exploration have done little to make the lives of those at the ground, any better.

Space exploration has yielded little to the masses of the countries that have pursued it.

...I'm not talking about satellites.

We might discover aliens.

 

[Patrician]

We might discover aliens.

Assuming that your comment was not made in jest, I'd like to remind you that if and when aliens with intelligence comparable or more advanced than that of humans are to be discovered, it will happen in solar systems or galaxies reaching which will take us human another century or two.

You may find microbes in the areas currently under observation. I don't see how much help that could be.

Seriously, if I had the choice of investing $100, I'd invest it in things that'd yield me more tangible results.

 

[no_name]

so gigawatts of power sent wirelessly....suppose it beams it to a location not designed to receive said power from space...

Mind you this may have military uses.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Mind you this may have military uses.

The whole thing might be a coverup for a military weapon. Microwaves are not effected as much by clouds/atmospheric debris as visible light.

 

[no_name]

^^^I tried not to be so blunt so china bashers won't have a handle to grab onto.

 

[siegecrossbow]

^^^I tried not to be so blunt so china bashers won't have a handle to grab onto.

No matter how blunt you are they always have a handle to grab onto. If you don't make one for them they'll make one themselves.

 

[manojb]

well china should give royalty to James Bond franchise.. "Die another day!!"

 

[siegecrossbow]

Mind you this may have military uses.

Speaking of military uses, I have another idea that doesn't involve melting people and vehicles from space. How about using the satellites as power generation devices for ground troops stationed in places where power is not easily accessible?

 

[Mech]

Speaking of military uses, I have another idea that doesn't involve melting people and vehicles from space. How about using the satellites as power generation devices for ground troops stationed in places where power is not easily accessible?

How will the satellite "transmit" power? So far humans have not been able to transmit power over space/air for more than a few centimeters. Please correct me if im out of date or simply, wrong.

 

[siegecrossbow]

How will the satellite "transmit" power? So far humans have not been able to transmit power over space/air for more than a few centimeters. Please correct me if im out of date or simply, wrong.

I've actually done a bit of research (informal stuff) for my Engineering communication classes. There are two train of thoughts on transmitting electricity over long distances. One is to convert the electricity generated by the powerplant into microwaves that could be directed to a ground based station. Rectennas could be used to convert the microwave back to electricity again. The other method is power beaming, or using the electricity generated to power a laser beam that would then be used to power high efficiency solar arrays (gallium arsenide or multijunction solar panels). The microwave method is considered to be more suitable since microwaves are not as susceptible to atmospheric interference and the process of converting microwaves back to electricity is more efficient.