“Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes; They call me on and on across the universe.” Just like the Beatles, mankind has always been fascinated by the universe and its hidden secrets waiting to be uncovered. Now, new evidence has revealed a storm of energy pouring from space, and the latest venture has confirmed an 84-year-old prediction. Researchers are turning to space to address certain power issues that we cannot solve on Earth.

This is why researchers are turning to space

Climate change and its dire effects on the planet and all living organisms are of great concern. The burning of fossil fuels has accelerated it, and without intervention, we will have to face the consequences. Fortunately, the world has been gradually transitioning to renewable energy sources as an alternative to burning fossil fuels for power, as they are eco-friendly and sustainable.

Unfortunately, these sources are not exactly foolproof. Take solar power into consideration. According to BKV Energy, traditional solar power faces several disadvantages, which include but are not limited to:

  • Resource-intensive manufacturing
    • Solar panel manufacturing requires significant power and rare materials
  • Large-scale installations
    • Require vast spaces of land, which disrupts habitats and ecosystems
  • Geographic limitations
    • Certain locations have less sunlight, resulting in lower efficiency
  • Intermittency
    • Weather dependency significantly influences power production efficiency

This is why researchers have been searching for new, innovative ways to utilize solar power to power the Earth. Now, they are breaking barriers by turning to space, and thus confirming an 84-year-old prediction.

Confirming an 84-year-old prediction with a storm of energy

According to Advanced Science News, in 1941, Isaac Asimov, known for his fictional science that predicted societal trends and future events, made an interesting prediction in his short story called “Reason.” His story predicted a solar-powered satellite in orbit that harnesses the sun’s energy and transmits it in the form of microwaves to a receiver on Earth. This was then converted to clean, sustainable power.

However, a certain startup called Aetherflux will use an approach that is different from previous space-based solar power concepts. Conventional systems would utilize microwaves to transmit space solar power to large rectennas on Earth. For over half a century, researchers have studied these concepts, but progress has been slow.

Now, Aetherflex will be beaming power from space to Earth as a new approach. This approach, according to Space News, will be more cost-effective and scalable than conventional approaches. The company plans on engineering and deploying a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit to harness solar energy and beam it back to Earth with infrared lasers.

The specifications of the space mission

According to Baiju Bhatt, founder and chief executive of Aetherflux, their first mission will utilize an Apex spacecraft bus of “kW-class” to transmit solar energy with infrared lasers to 10-meter areas on the ground. He added that future missions will produce more power at decreased costs per kWh. Aetherflux plans on demonstrating its concept by launching a small satellite by early 2026.

 “The walk step is crude commercial viability in some of these applications, and running is being able to power more and more applications all around the world.” – Bhatt

Asimov may have predicted the concept, but the jury is still out on when space-based solar power will be fully operational and power Earth once and for all. The race is on, as many teams from across the world have been working towards powering Earth from space. Hopefully, this concept will become a reality soon, as this efficient, clean, and uninterrupted power solution might just be the thing to keep Earth’s carbon footprint intact and mitigate the effects of climate change once and for all.