Panel The Planet

WASHINGTON — NASA is starting a study to reexamine the viability of space-based solar power, a long-touted solution to providing power from space that may be getting new interest thanks to technological advances and pushes for clean energy.

In a presentation at the National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference May 27, Nikolai Joseph of NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy said the agency was beginning a short-term study evaluating the prospects of space-based solar power, or SBSP, the first by the agency in about two decades.

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Source: Space News

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Here on Earth, solar power is one of the ultimate sources of off-grid electricity. Unless you’re in the far north and don’t get sunlight half the year or you’re somewhere that’s frequently cloudy, it’s a very dependable source of electricity that can be used to charge batteries and power everything from a phone, to a small refrigerator ice chest, to a whole house or EV. So, it’s a great alternative.

In space, you have less of a choice. Even as close to earth as the International Space Station or China’s Tiangong Space Station, you can’t exactly drive to town to get more fuel for your trusty Honda generator. Not only are you always at least 250 miles from the nearest town, but getting things into earth orbit takes a lot of energy. Even if your old lawnmower-engined generator could work in space (it can’t run without oxygen), bringing fuel for the thing would be prohibitively expensive.

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Source: Clean Technica

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If you have any questions or thoughts about the topic, feel free to contact us here or leave a comment below.