China has announced an ambitious plan to construct solar power stations in space with the help of super-heavy rockets. The project, described as “another Three Gorges Dam project above the Earth,” aims to harness solar energy in orbit and transmit it to the ground to provide continuous power.
Long Lehao, a senior rocket scientist and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), detailed the project during a lecture at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). “We are working on this project now. It is as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometres above the Earth,” he said.
The space-based solar power stations will collect energy without being affected by day-night cycles or weather conditions, unlike ground-based solar panels. Long explained, “The energy collected in one year would be equivalent to the total amount of oil that can be extracted from the Earth.”
The project will require installing a 1-kilometre-wide solar array along the geostationary orbit, 36,000 kilometres above Earth. It has been described as the “Manhattan Project” of the energy sector due to its scale and importance.
The Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower project located on the Yangtze River, generates around 100 billion kWh of electricity annually. The space solar power station project is expected to surpass this in energy production.
To make this vision a reality, significant technological advancements are needed. These include heavy-lift rocket technology for transporting materials and systems to transmit energy efficiently from space to Earth.
The Long March-9 (CZ-9) rocket, developed by Long’s team, will play a key role in the project. It has a launch thrust of around 6,000 tonnes and a takeoff weight exceeding 4,000 tonnes. The rocket can carry up to 150 tonnes to low Earth orbit, surpassing NASA’s Saturn V and Space Launch System (SLS) rockets.
“The CZ-9 will reach 110 meters in height and has a diameter of 10.6 meters, much larger than the CZ-5,” Long explained. He emphasized that one of its primary uses will be constructing space-based solar power stations.
China has already made progress in this field. In 2021, it began building its first experimental space solar power station in Bishan, Chongqing. In November 2023, a team from Xian University of Electronic Science and Technology revealed a groundbreaking ground verification system for space solar power stations.
This system, known as the “Chasing Sun Project,” focuses on technologies such as microwave energy transmission and space communication. “It could also power airships, drones, maritime platforms, and provide wireless power to remote or disaster-stricken areas,” a CAS report stated.
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Despite initial challenges, including early rocket failures, Long’s team remains optimistic. “Failure and success are both valuable experiences,” Long said. He further added, “The Long March 3B rocket has now completed 99 successful launches, paving the way for future achievements.”
The project demonstrates China’s growing focus on renewable energy and advanced space technology. This may offer hope for a sustainable energy future for the world.
