Solar Power Satellites
SOLAR POWER SATELLITES
A solar power satellite generating system was first proposed in 1969. Studies by NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy have since shown the concept to be viable. Such a system would start with geosynchronous satellites in Earth orbit that would convert sunlight into electricity and then convert the electricity into microwave energy. The satellites would then beam the microwave energy to Earth. An elliptical receiving-rectifying antenna on the ground would convert the microwave energy to direct current electricity that would be distributed along conventional lines. This type of system could provide continuous base-load power for most of the year and would require minimal storage of the electricity. Problem areas that need to be addressed include high cost, the unknown effects of microwave beams on organisms and the ionosphere, and radio-frequency allocation concerns.