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[TECHNOLOGY] · China · 3 sources

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China plans massive space-based solar power station

China is advancing plans for an ambitious space-based solar power station designed to collect solar radiation and transmit electricity to Earth. The proposed infrastructure would consist of a solar panel approximately one kilometer wide, positioned in geostationary orbit at an altitude of roughly 36,000 kilometers. By operating outside the Earth's atmosphere, the station could receive near-continuous solar radiation without interference from clouds, night cycles, or atmospheric conditions.

According to Long Lehao, a lead scientist and designer of Long March rockets, the project's scale is comparable to the Three Gorges Dam. The station would be assembled in orbit using super-heavy lift rockets. Once operational, the captured energy would be converted into electricity and beamed to the Earth's surface via microwaves or radio waves.

Researchers associated with the Zhuri project at Xidian University are currently investigating methods to minimize energy loss during wireless transmission. The long-term goal is to establish a 1-gigawatt power plant by 2050, with some estimates suggesting an annual production capacity of approximately 8.3 billion kWh.

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China · Long Lehao · Long March · Xidian University · Zhuri Project

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