Researchers in Japan have conducted a preliminary experiment as part of a project to generate solar power in space and send it back to Earth.
The idea is to set up geostationary solar panels in space at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers, and convert the generated electricity into microwaves for transmission back to Earth. The project team is hoping the technology can be put into practical use from 2045 at the earliest.
Solar power generation in space has potential as a stable source of energy, as there are no weather or day-night cycles to disrupt the process. Research into this technology is also underway in the United States, European countries, and China.
An experiment conducted on the Kyoto University campus on Thursday tested the pinpoint transmission of microwaves converted from electricity.
A transmission device about 70 centimeters square was used to check if microwaves could hit a target at a distance. A monitor showed that the microwaves hit the target accurately.
Ten researchers took part in the trial. They included scientists from Japan Space Systems, an entity commissioned by the government to explore space solar generation.
They plan to conduct an experiment in December to transmit electricity back to Earth from a plane flying at an altitude of 7,000 meters. In the next stage, the researchers plan to conduct a similar experiment next year using a small satellite.
Japan Space Systems Project Manager Yanagawa Hiroki said that space solar generation has great promise as an emergency source of electricity in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
He said Japan has conducted research and development on space solar generation since the 1990s, and the technology is finally starting to take shape.
He expressed hope for the success of the flight test scheduled for later this year, and the series of experiments from space starting next year.