Power from Space? Pentagon Likes the Idea
Solar arrays in space, delivering power to the Earth. Something seen frequently in science fiction movies and books. It's always been seen as financially unviable, but if someone with really deep pockets like the military were interested ...
A new Pentagon study lays out the roadmap for a multibillion-dollar push to the final frontier of energy: a satellite system that collects gigawatts’ worth of solar power and beams it down to Earth.
A new Pentagon study lays out the roadmap for a multibillion-dollar push to the final frontier of energy: a satellite system that collects gigawatts’ worth of solar power and beams it down to Earth.
The military itself could become the “anchor tenant” for such a power source, due to the current high cost of fueling combat operations abroad, the study says.
Even for the military, the cost would be tremendous, and it would still not be financially sound. However, the military, particularly when based in places like Iraq, needs a steady source of power. It's possible they could fund the initial stages of such a project, then move into a "customer" mode ASAP.
