China is developing a space-based solar power project that aims to harness energy from the sun in Earth’s orbit and transmit it to the ground, providing continuous power. The project, dubbed “Three Gorges Dam in Space,” involves using super heavy rockets to build a solar power station in geostationary orbit 36,000km above the Earth.
The benefits of space-based solar power include its ability to collect energy without being affected by seasons or day-night cycles, and higher energy density compared to Earth’s surface. This project has been hailed as significant, with Long Lehao, a Chinese rocket scientist, describing it as “as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit.”
The proposed solar array would be 1km wide along the 36,000km orbit, generating power similar to that of the world’s largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam. The project’s success would provide continuous power, unaffected by seasonal changes or day-night cycles, making it an attractive option for renewable energy.
Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3294091/china-plans-build-three-gorges-dam-space-harness-solar-power