Chinese scientists have proposed a space solar power station design that does not require groundbreaking technological advancements. The research team led by Yang Jingyu from Shenyang Aerospace University recently revealed their findings in the academic journal Chinese Space Science and Technology.
This project, named “SSPS-CMCA” (Cylindrical Modular Space Solar Power Station), presents a highly feasible and scalable engineering solution. The concept of space solar power stations (SSPS) was first introduced by American scientist Dr. Peter Glaser. An SSPS primarily consists of a space-based power generation satellite and a ground receiving station. The power generation process involves the satellite converting solar energy into electricity through large solar arrays, then transforming it into microwaves for transmission through space. Finally, the ground receiving station captures these microwaves and converts them back into electricity for the terrestrial power grid.
Since the introduction of the SSPS concept, multiple scholars and organizations from the United States, Japan, Europe, and China have developed various conceptual models. These designs showcase a degree of innovation and intelligence, offering valuable insights for the practical construction of SSPS projects. However, most of these proposals remain at the conceptual stage and lack comprehensive considerations, resulting in limited engineering feasibility and insufficient solutions for real-world SSPS construction challenges.
The research team from Shenyang Aerospace University conducted a thorough evaluation of existing SSPS proposals from the United States, Japan, Europe, and China. They assessed the feasibility of critical technical indicators such as configuration, concentration, attitude control, and vibration control across different designs. After careful analysis, the team identified an optimal combination that integrates the best features from all existing proposals, stating that this combination “almost incorporates all the advantages of current designs and does not require epoch-making breakthroughs in technology.”
