China has announced plans to build a giant space solar power station, which will be 1 kilometer wide and will be installed in geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above the earth. With this project, an attempt is being made to reduce the energy crisis and establish dominance in the international energy market.
New era of solar power plant in space
China has unveiled an ambitious plan to build a 1 kilometer wide solar power station in space. Under this project, China aims to install this station in geostationary orbit located 36,000 kilometers above the earth and from there energy will be sent to the earth through microwaves. It is being called the “Three Gorges Dam of Space”, as this project is considered to be as revolutionary as China’s Three Gorges Dam brought about a change in energy production.
China will use its new super-heavy rocket for this project. It is planned to start its first phase by 2033. Chinese scientists involved in this project claim that this solar station will produce as much energy in a year as is produced from oil on Earth in an entire year.
History of Space Solar Power: The idea of space solar power is not new. In 1941, the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov first imagined a space project where a space station could take energy from the sun and send it to Earth. The idea was discussed in the journal “Science” in 1968, and in 1974 NASA studied the project extensively. However, it was then closed as commercially impractical.
China’s efforts and technical challenges China has started working on cutting-edge technologies to make this project a reality. Under this, a super-heavy launch vehicle called ‘Long March 9’ (CZ-9) is being prepared, which can carry a payload of up to 150,000 kg to low Earth orbit. However, the cost and risk required for such a large project still remain a challenge.
Chinese scientists are also working on ground-receiving systems and other technologies to harness the energy obtained on earth. In 2022, the first successful ground verification system was developed under the “Sun Chasing Project” of Xi’an University of Electronic Science and Technology.
Future and geopolitical impact If the project succeeds, it could give China an unprecedented edge in the energy sector. It will not only make China self-sufficient in terms of energy, but also provide an opportunity to export energy to other countries. In addition, the first country to master space solar power can establish energy dominance globally.
On the other hand, the US, Japan, and the European Space Agency (ESA) are also doing research in this direction. US companies, such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, and Japan’s JAXA are also engaged in developing this technology.
Closing Thoughts: This project is not only technically challenging but it can revolutionize the way energy is produced. However, its success will depend on many factors, such as cost, technological advancement, and international cooperation.
Latest Update: Recently, China has planned to make this project fully operational by 2050. Experts believe that this project can play an important role in solving global warming and energy crisis.
