According to the British *Daily Mail*, U.S. Navy engineers have unveiled an ambitious and futuristic plan to harness energy beams from space. The concept involves deploying massive solar power modules in orbit that can collect solar energy and beam it down to Earth. This groundbreaking initiative could potentially supply power not only to military bases but also entire cities. Dr. Paul Jaffe, a spacecraft engineer at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, has developed and tested two different module designs for capturing and transmitting solar energy.
*US Navy experts recently designed a space-based solar device that focuses sunlight on the transmission of energy beams to the ground.*
The first design features a "sandwich" module, where all electronic components are enclosed between two square solar panels. The top panel is a photovoltaic cell that absorbs sunlight, while the middle layer converts the energy into wireless signals. The bottom layer functions as an antenna, beaming the energy toward targets on Earth. These modules would be assembled in space by robots and eventually form a satellite with a diameter of about 1 kilometer.
The second design uses a "running" module, which unfolds like a flat panel to capture more sunlight without overheating. This allows for greater efficiency and better thermal management compared to traditional setups.
Despite the promising potential, the U.S. Navy admits the project still sounds like science fiction. Dr. Jaffe noted that the cost of launching materials into space remains extremely high, making lightweight and efficient designs essential. He explained that the sandwich module design is four times more efficient than previous models, which makes it a strong contender for future development.
In addition to the sandwich design, Jaffe is also exploring a ladder-like module to address heat issues. This new configuration, which is currently under patent consideration, features a zigzag structure that allows solar panels to absorb more sunlight while remaining cooler. This innovation could significantly improve the performance and longevity of space-based solar systems.
As research continues, the vision of powering Earth from space moves closer to reality—though it may still take years before such technology becomes a practical solution.
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