US Successfully Tested Space Solar Panel That Could Beam Anywhere on Earth
US scientists and the Pentagon are working together successfully in creating a pizza box size space solar panel.
The panel was designed for a future system to direct electricity from space and beam back to any point on Earth, CNN reports.
The said panel Photovoltaic Radio-Frequency Antenna Module (PRAM) was first launched in May last year and was placed to the Pentagon's top-secret X-37B drone.
The most recent experiments with space solar panel were discovered to generate 10 watts of energy for transmission.
The said device still hasn't done the complete plan in which the most complicated process of transmitting power back down to Earth. Researchers are expected to conduct a thorough study in the upcoming years.
Scientists hope that PRAM could transmit power to the most remote corners of the globe, completely revolutionizing how power is engendered.
The 12x12 inch panel prototype is an early trial for a technology that possibly one day harness solar radiation from the sun.
"To our knowledge, this experiment is the first test in orbit of hardware designed specifically for solar power satellites, which could play a revolutionary role in our energy future," said Paul Jaffe, PRAM principal investigator, told CNN.
"Some visions have space solar matching or exceeding the largest power plants today - multiple gigawatts - so enough for a city," Paul added.
He said that the advantage of solar power satellites is that they can transmit power globally in just a fraction of seconds.
The device could provide disaster-prone regions on Earth with instant power without relying on physical infrastructure on the ground.
Solar energy usage to function satellites started with Vanguard I, the first satellite to have solar cells.
Other power nations like China, Russia, and Japan are all pursuing the idea of space-based power generation.
