The satellites can provide electricity in the future

According to the US online life science newspaper, 40 years ago, someone came up with the idea of ​​installing solar panels in space, whether it was dark or dense cloudy weather, it was can generate electricity normally.

But according to the initial assessment, the price is too high, so this idea has not come into reality yet. But according to a recently released report from the US Pentagon, the US Air Force seems to have intended to build the world's first outer-space solar system.

Desire to light every lamp in the world

Due to the escalating oil price and the development of solar technology, this idea has recently returned. According to a report by the US Department of Defense, building solar power plants on space regardless of technical or economic aspects is possible. To prove this point, the US Air Force Academy recently announced a small model experimental satellite plan, taking a first step from the idea to reality.

"We want to build the world's first space-based solar energy system, to light every single lamp in the world, and hopefully," said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Michael Smith. Thanks to this approach, lighting the path to the future, the type of transmission is still unknown, but this plan may be able to use some advanced results in independent Japanese research. " Japan has been working hard to study two techniques that can be used to transmit solar energy: microwave and laser.

The energy released by the sun equals 1 trillion times the current global energy consumption. Mark Hopkins, vice president of the US National Space Association, said: 'We only need to exploit a part, we can meet the needs of immediate and energy resources for our years to come.' The US National Space Association has recently partnered with a nonprofit organization to build a solar power plant on space.

(Photo: LiveScience)

Robot technology will reduce costs.

Mr. Smith introduced sunlight as an infinite source of energy, at an intensity of 3 to 13 times the normal light shining on the earth. The first time the solar satellite plan was mentioned was in 1968, but according to initial calculations, the plan needed to invest about $ 1,000 billion. Such a high cost is because astronauts must stay in the universe to build their respective space equipment. Today robots can complete that job, installing a fully-efficient solar battery model, costing 100 times less than before.

"If we want to use technology today to implement this plan, then it's no different than the cost of a factory on the ground," Hopkins said . The cost of a kilowatt on-ground power plant is about 30 cents an hour. But, according to Hopkins, it is still too high, he said, electricity prices will continue to fall, especially under the situation that the exploited capital is constantly pouring in.

The report published by the Pentagon provides a development plan, detailing the $ 10 billion investment situation to build a 10 million watt experimental satellite in the next 10 years. But where this huge investment comes from is hard to say. Hopkins made it clear that the US National Aviation Administration considers this plan an energy application program, but the US National Energy Department sees the plan as an outer space career.

The plan of the Japanese aviation agency is progressing.

10 years ago, the Japan Aerospace Exploitation Research Agency (JAXA) still supported the space solar power plant (SSPS) system. The goal is to launch a ground-based satellite into space, which will provide 1 billion watts of electricity to 500,000 homes on earth. In the short term, researchers from Japan's aerospace mining research agency see microwaves and lasers as a means of transmitting solar energy.

Susumu Sasaki, senior director of research for aerospace research and research, said: 'Because of the microwave transmission technology thanks to information satellites, it is more advanced.'

But to transmit a large amount of energy in a convergence point, a 2 km wide antenna is required. The ground must also make a larger receiving antenna or an outer antenna.

There is also another option: laser. Japanese scientists are focusing on studying metal alloy plates. Metal alloy sheets can not only absorb the sun's rays, but also transform the sun's rays into infrared lasers. Susumu said the advantage of this method is that the device needed to transmit and receive lasers is only a fraction of the method of using microwaves. In addition, lasers do not interfere with information satellites (most information satellites now use microwave waves). However, the laser beam cannot penetrate through clouds like microwaves. So, if using a laser, then the energy going halfway will disappear.

Another problem is that the laser satellite sounds like a weapon, even though Hopkins said it is absolutely necessary to ensure that the laser satellite will not be used as a weapon system. In contrast, the microwave transmission intensity is very low, there is no danger. Hopkins said, one person can go through where the beam hits, 'you can feel its existence, but this feeling is like the warm rays of the daylight sun.'

Mr. Smith said, microwaves or lasers are within the range of American Air Force thinking that the plan will be announced at the international space meeting earlier this month. He said: 'Even though there is a long distance, but we have applied advanced techniques, making the price cheaper, easier to manipulate, soon will come true.' We will launch a 181 kg satellite, costing about $ 10 million to low orbit. It can carry another mission and use solar rays.

Mr. Smith hopes to launch the satellite in 2010: "We want this plan to become a reality soon."

TRAN THIIE NGA (According to Livescience, Dong Nai Department of Science and Technology)