Solar Power Satellites - a New Hope

Talking about solar power satellites is nothing new. They were first proposed back in the 1960's, and have been talked about by scientists as well as science fiction writers ever since.

The idea is a simple one. Set up a solar collector in space to gather solar power, then send that power back to earth to help supply the planet's rapidly growing energy needs.

Unlike terrestrial solar panels, a space-based solar collector would have unending access to the Sun's energy. The biggest problem with earth-based solar collectors is that at best they can only collect energy during the day, not including blockage from clouds and the like. Solar power satellites would have 24/7 access to the Sun's rays.

There are a lot of problems with using solar power satellites, though. How do you send the power back to earth? What sort of costs are going to be accrued getting the satellite into space in the first place?

Some developments over the past thirty years have made solar power satellites a bit more feasible. Tests on sending power through microwave signals, cheaper production costs for more efficient solar collection panels. One thing that has been lacking though is major government funding. NASA has done some work but nothing incredibly substantial.

Now the Pentagon has announced that it is considering a study on a space-based solar power system using solar power satellites, according to Space.com. The study would be done through the National Security Space Office (NSSO) which was created in 2004 by merging the National Security Space Architect (NSSA) and National Security Space Integration (NSSI) into a single office.

The project is being pushed by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Hornitschek. He is the chief of rated force policy for the Air Force at the Pentagon. Hornitschek has been studying solar power satellites in his spare time and is hoping that the NSSO initiates a study into its use. He further hopes that such a system could be put into place in as little as 20 years.

If the study will go through or not is still a topic for discussion. Lieutenant Colonel M.V. Smith, chief of future concepts for the NSSO, has said that Hornitschek has stimulated interest in the idea but both funding and manpower would have to be found before a study could be done.

Currently no major funding is going into the study of space-based solar power at any government agency. A major study through the NSSO could breathe new life into the idea of solar power satellites. Such a project could also find joint funding, possibly through NASA or the Department of Energy in order to make solar power satellites become a reality.