Space-Based Solar Power
What is Space-Based Solar Power?
Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) comprises a constellation of satellites in space, collecting solar power and beaming it securely to receivers either on the Earth or in space. Its main attribute is the ability to deliver clean, baseload energy to Earth, day and night throughout the year and in all weathers.
Value of SBSP
- 24/7 Solar Energy: Provides uninterrupted power by capturing sunlight in Earth orbit, free from weather, day-night cycles, or seasons and transmitting it wirelessly to ground.
- Energy Independence & Security: Diversify clean energy sources and mitigate risks such as transmission bottlenecks and other vulnerabilities in a centralized infrastructure.
- Grid Resilience: Offers on-demand, disaster-resilient power, stabilizing grids during energy shortages and provides energy for highly power intensive applications.
- Zero-Carbon Energy: SBSP generates clean, emission-free baseload energy, contributing significantly to climate change mitigation and greenhouse gas reduction.
- Global Reach: Provides energy to remote, developing or underserved areas where traditional infrastructure is difficult or costly to build, closing access gaps globally.
- Economic Growth: SBSP development drives innovation in space, materials, and wireless power transmission technologies, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.
- Strategic Advantage: Nations leading SBSP will gain geopolitical leadership, reduce energy dependency risks, become net exporters of clean energy and reduce global fossil fuel reliance.
Issues Needing Congressional Help
- Is the power grid in your district ready to accept new technology like SBSP?
- Is the FCC prepared to help adopt Spectrum use for SBSP?
- Which agency is best adapted to regulate Space-Based Solar Power Satellites?
- Which agency is best adapted to regulate Ground Stations?
- Are there existing grid interface stations that are ready to add SBSP receiving stations?
- How is the DOD ready to protect and utilize SBSP?
- Why does the DOE not have any active SBSP projects currently?
- Who should the key point people be at specific agencies to work on SBSP projects?
- What is the funding status of SSPIDR? Who is going to do a follow-on to SSPIDR?
Space Frontier Foundation
Space-Based Solar Power Project
Objective:
To create the landscape and conditions for commercial Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) technology by the U.S. to become successful and self-sustaining.
Space Frontier Foundation’s SBSP Credo:
- Strategic investment in SBSP today will enable cost-competitive baseload clean energy, helping decrease carbon emissions by 2040, and open massive export opportunities to fuel economic growth.
- SBSP development does not need fundamental scientific breakthroughs. The technology is ready for in-space Now is the time to increase the number, diversity, and pace of space-based demonstrations by the United States.
- Developing and deploying commercial SBSP is in the U.S.’s immediate national interest. The U.S. needs a whole-of-government and internationally strategic campaign to create a free-world clean power alliance around developing and implementing SBSP.
We are a Funded Initiative. Our Key Activities:
- Educate key stakeholders and build connections between diverse and unconnected beneficiaries
- Enable congressional involvement through bills and briefings
- Identify external obstacles to SBSP development and deployment, and raise their profile to enable clarity in problem definition
- Empower interested commercial and non-commercial parties by representing them and their shared interests
- Strive to serve as an information nexus in all matters related to SBSP
Immediate Focus:
- Identifying first markets for These are use cases for which SBSP is the best and immediate solution to meet a pent up demand that has or will have money to self-sustain.
- Setup a trade association with a series of organizations to advance the development and deployment of SBSP
- Sustained engagement with private companies, executive departments, congressional offices, Think Tanks, international agencies.
Our Impact as of October 2024:
- Amended House Bill H.R.2988 to add SBSP as an area of study in the Department of Energy and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Hearing at the 28 Min mark here
- Amended House Bill H.R.6131 to have the Office of Space Commerce and NASA jointly submit a report on Commercial SBSP to the Senate and House Committees: Hearing at the 3:15 Hr mark here.
- Presented on “Harmonizing U.S. Efforts to Commercialize Space-Based Solar Power” at the International Conference for Energy from Space, in London 2024
- Collaborated with the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) to host a SBSP workshop at the AI Expo for National Competitiveness D.C., 2024. Professionals from diverse backgrounds were brought together with the objective of increasing the inclusion of space-based power as an energy option in strategic planning for their organizations.
- We hosted a successful congressional briefing about SBSP on the Hill on September 30, with 50+ staffers in attendance, representing the Arms committee, Energy, Commerce & Science committees.
- Our latest article on SBSP, featured in the POWER energy magazine, showcases its potential to address energy needs across industries like data centers, humanitarian aid, and national security.
Contact Details:
Srikanth Raviprasad, Project Manager
srikanth.raviprasad@spacefrontier.org
Introductory Reading:
News Articles
- POWER, 2024: Space-Based Solar Power for U.S. Energy Independence
- Wired, 2024: The Race for Space-Based Solar Power
- Financial Times, 2023: How to make space-based solar power a reality
- New York Times, 2023: Looking to Space in the Race to Decarbonize
- Science, 2022: Space-based solar power is getting serious—can it solve Earth’s energy woes?
- The Guardian, 2022: Beam me down: can solar power from space help solve our energy needs?
Articles For Policymakers
- Beyond Earth Institute, 2021: Catching the Sun: A National Strategy for Space Solar Power
- Space News, 2024: NASA study: clean, space-based solar power beaming is possible
- Space Policy Journal, 2022: Space-based Solar Power as a Catalyst for Space Development
- George Washington University, 2024: Sunrise in Orbit – A Policy Roadmap for Space Solar Power
- Amendment to Bill H.R.2988, By Rep. Mullin (CA-15) to add SBSP to the DOE and NASA Interagency Coordination Act, 2023
- Amendment to Bill H.R.6131, By Rep. Mullin (CA-15) and Rep. McCormick (GA-6) to add SBSP study to the Commercial Space Act. 2023
Articles for Strategists
- American Foreign Policy Council, 2022: The Promise of Space-Based Solar Power
- The Strategist, 2022: The race to develop space-based solar power is heating up
- Naval Research Laboratory, 2019: Opportunities and Challenges for Space Solar for Remote Installations
- CNBC, 2019: China plans a solar power play in space that NASA abandoned decades ago
Articles for Energy professionals
- Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), 2023: Space Solar Power for Global Decarbonization
- Energy Voice, 2024: Could space-based solar power be the world’s next energy frontier?
- IEEE Journal of Microwaves, 2021: Microwave and Millimeter Wave Power Beaming
Articles for Venture Capitalists & technologists
- The Aerospace Corporation, 2021: Space-Based Solar Power: A Near-Term Investment Decision
- Erik Kulu, 2024: Space Solar Power: Updated Survey of Private Initiatives
Articles for Environmentalists
- UK Space Energy Initiative, 2022: Life Cycle Assessment of the UK Space Energy Initiative Technology Roadmap
- Keio University, Japan, 2000: CO2 Emission from Solar Power Satellite through its Life Cycle
Detailed Studies
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 2024: Space-Based Solar Power by the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy
- European Space Agency (ESA) SOLARIS, 2022: The Case for an ESA preparatory programme for Space-Based Solar Power for terrestrial energy needs
- European Space Agency (ESA) SOLARIS, 2022: Cost vs Benefit Studies
- European Space Agency (ESA) SOLARIS, 2023: Greater Earth Lunar Power Station (GE⊕-LPS) Study
FAQs
About SBSP
Space Frontier Foundation
Space-Based Solar Power Project
Objective:
To create the landscape and conditions for commercial Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) technology by the U.S. to become successful and self-sustaining.
Space Frontier Foundation’s SBSP Credo:
- Strategic investment in SBSP today will enable cost-competitive baseload clean energy, helping decrease carbon emissions by 2040, and open massive export opportunities to fuel economic growth.
- SBSP development does not need fundamental scientific breakthroughs. The technology is ready for in-space Now is the time to increase the number, diversity, and pace of space-based demonstrations by the United States.
- Developing and deploying commercial SBSP is in the U.S.’s immediate national interest. The U.S. needs a whole-of-government and internationally strategic campaign to create a free-world clean power alliance around developing and implementing SBSP.
We are a Funded Initiative. Our Key Activities:
- Educate key stakeholders and build connections between diverse and unconnected beneficiaries
- Enable congressional involvement through bills and briefings
- Identify external obstacles to SBSP development and deployment, and raise their profile to enable clarity in problem definition
- Empower interested commercial and non-commercial parties by representing them and their shared interests
- Strive to serve as an information nexus in all matters related to SBSP
Immediate Focus:
- Identifying first markets for These are use cases for which SBSP is the best and immediate solution to meet a pent up demand that has or will have money to self-sustain.
- Setup a trade association with a series of organizations to advance the development and deployment of SBSP
- Sustained engagement with private companies, executive departments, congressional offices, Think Tanks, international agencies.
Our Impact as of October 2024:
- Amended House Bill H.R.2988 to add SBSP as an area of study in the Department of Energy and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Hearing at the 28 Min mark here
- Amended House Bill H.R.6131 to have the Office of Space Commerce and NASA jointly submit a report on Commercial SBSP to the Senate and House Committees: Hearing at the 3:15 Hr mark here.
- Presented on “Harmonizing U.S. Efforts to Commercialize Space-Based Solar Power” at the International Conference for Energy from Space, in London 2024
- Collaborated with the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) to host a SBSP workshop at the AI Expo for National Competitiveness D.C., 2024. Professionals from diverse backgrounds were brought together with the objective of increasing the inclusion of space-based power as an energy option in strategic planning for their organizations.
- We hosted a successful congressional briefing about SBSP on the Hill on September 30, with 50+ staffers in attendance, representing the Arms committee, Energy, Commerce & Science committees.
- Our latest article on SBSP, featured in the POWER energy magazine, showcases its potential to address energy needs across industries like data centers, humanitarian aid, and national security.
Contact Details:
Srikanth Raviprasad, Project Manager
srikanth.raviprasad@spacefrontier.org
Our Newsletter
| August 2024 |
|---|
 |
| September 2024 |
|---|
 |
Stay informed with our newsletters
Sign up today!Recommended Readings
Introductory Reading:
News Articles
- POWER, 2024: Space-Based Solar Power for U.S. Energy Independence
- Wired, 2024: The Race for Space-Based Solar Power
- Financial Times, 2023: How to make space-based solar power a reality
- New York Times, 2023: Looking to Space in the Race to Decarbonize
- Science, 2022: Space-based solar power is getting serious—can it solve Earth’s energy woes?
- The Guardian, 2022: Beam me down: can solar power from space help solve our energy needs?
Articles For Policymakers
- Beyond Earth Institute, 2021: Catching the Sun: A National Strategy for Space Solar Power
- Space News, 2024: NASA study: clean, space-based solar power beaming is possible
- Space Policy Journal, 2022: Space-based Solar Power as a Catalyst for Space Development
- George Washington University, 2024: Sunrise in Orbit – A Policy Roadmap for Space Solar Power
- Amendment to Bill H.R.2988, By Rep. Mullin (CA-15) to add SBSP to the DOE and NASA Interagency Coordination Act, 2023
- Amendment to Bill H.R.6131, By Rep. Mullin (CA-15) and Rep. McCormick (GA-6) to add SBSP study to the Commercial Space Act. 2023
Articles for Strategists
- American Foreign Policy Council, 2022: The Promise of Space-Based Solar Power
- The Strategist, 2022: The race to develop space-based solar power is heating up
- Naval Research Laboratory, 2019: Opportunities and Challenges for Space Solar for Remote Installations
- CNBC, 2019: China plans a solar power play in space that NASA abandoned decades ago
Articles for Energy professionals
- Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), 2023: Space Solar Power for Global Decarbonization
- Energy Voice, 2024: Could space-based solar power be the world’s next energy frontier?
- IEEE Journal of Microwaves, 2021: Microwave and Millimeter Wave Power Beaming
Articles for Venture Capitalists & technologists
- The Aerospace Corporation, 2021: Space-Based Solar Power: A Near-Term Investment Decision
- Erik Kulu, 2024: Space Solar Power: Updated Survey of Private Initiatives
Articles for Environmentalists
- UK Space Energy Initiative, 2022: Life Cycle Assessment of the UK Space Energy Initiative Technology Roadmap
- Keio University, Japan, 2000: CO2 Emission from Solar Power Satellite through its Life Cycle
Detailed Studies
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 2024: Space-Based Solar Power by the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy
- European Space Agency (ESA) SOLARIS, 2022: The Case for an ESA preparatory programme for Space-Based Solar Power for terrestrial energy needs
- European Space Agency (ESA) SOLARIS, 2022: Cost vs Benefit Studies
- European Space Agency (ESA) SOLARIS, 2023: Greater Earth Lunar Power Station (GE⊕-LPS) Study
FAQs