This week we’re looking up — way up. While some mates are still arguing over rooftop panels and cloudy forecasts, some of the world’s brightest minds are thinking beyond the stratosphere.
We’re talking satellites that beam down energy from orbit. Sounds mental? Let's dive in 👇🏽
TL;DR
What’s Space-Based Solar Power? 🌌
How Does It Work? 🔧
Why It Matters 💡
Who’s Building the Future? 🚀
What’s Holding It Back? ⚠️
What’s Trending in the Sky? 🔮
Our Take 🧠
What’s Space-Based Solar Power? 🌌
SBSP is exactly what it says on the tin: collecting solar energy in space and beaming it back to Earth. No clouds, no nighttime, just 24/7 sunlight and some serious orbital ambition.
The concept has been floating around since the 1960s, but with recent tech leaps, it’s suddenly not so far-fetched.
From uninterrupted solar collection to global coverage, SBSP has the potential to reshape the way we power the world, especially as AI and blockchain keep jacking up our energy needs.
How Does It Work? 🔧
Quick version, sci-fi edition:
Collect the Light – Satellites with massive solar panels gather sunlight in orbit.
Convert It – That light’s turned into electricity, then into microwave or laser beams.
Beam It Down – The energy’s transmitted wirelessly to Earth.
Catch It on the Ground – A receiving station (a “rectenna”) turns it into usable power.
No fuel, no wires...just sunlight straight from space. Cheers, physics.
Why It Matters 💡
Here’s the kicker: SBSP offers clean, continuous power. Unlike your rooftop solar rig, it’s not fussed about weather or time zones.
Constant supply – 24/7, 365, always on.
No land grab – No need for acres of panels or massive wind farms.
Higher efficiency – No atmosphere means stronger solar collection.
Scalable – Need more power? Add more satellites.
Great for remote areas – Power from orbit = energy access anywhere.
It’s the kind of power grid that doesn’t care where you live or how rich your country is. That’s a proper global play.
Who’s Building the Future? 🚀
Caltech (USA)– In 2023, they made history by successfully beaming power from space to Earth.
JAXA (Japan) – Aiming for a full-scale 1GW SBSP station by the 2030s.
Launch Costs – Rockets are cheaper these days, but still not exactly budget-friendly.
Tech Challenges – Efficient beaming, in-orbit assembly, and light-weight materials still need work.
Space Junk Risk – The more we send up, the more crowded it gets.
Safety Myths – Microwave beams get a bad rap. No, it won’t fry your dog.
Regulation Gaps – No one’s quite sure who owns what in space… yet.
What’s Trending in the Sky? 🔮
Robotic Assembly in Orbit – Building these things up there instead of launching them whole.
Improved Beaming Precision – New microwave and laser tech with higher efficiency.
Private Space Race – Cheaper launches from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and co. open the door.
AI-Driven Smart Grids – Handling orbit-to-Earth power flows will need machine brains.
Hybrid Defense-Energy Projects – Military use cases are helping fund the R&D.
Percs Partners 🤝
Before we're heading to Our Take, we want to give a massive shout out to our partners at Percs, the masterminds behind free marketing tools for onchain creators and Farcaster Games!
Go check them out on Farcaster and X and get involved!
Our Take 🧠
SBSP sounds bonkers (satellites firing power beams at Earth), but the pieces are coming together fast. This isn’t about replacing your home solar panels.
It’s about creating a global, decentralised power system that works where traditional grids don’t.
As data centres, AI, and DePIN projects grow like mad, we’re going to need clean baseload energy that doesn’t stop when the sun sets. Space might just be where we find it.
We’ve already got internet from satellites, why not energy too?
