According to the British *Daily Mail*, U.S. Navy engineers have unveiled an ambitious and futuristic plan to harness energy beams from space. The concept involves deploying massive solar power modules in orbit that can collect solar energy and beam it down to Earth. This technology, if successful, could provide power not only to military bases but also to entire cities. Dr. Paul Jaffe, a spacecraft engineer at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, has already developed and tested two types of energy-harvesting modules designed to capture and transmit solar power efficiently.
The U.S. Navy’s latest design features a "sandwich" module, where all the critical electronic components are enclosed between two square solar panels. The top panel is a photovoltaic surface that captures sunlight, while the middle layer processes the energy and converts it into wireless frequencies. The bottom layer acts as an antenna, directing the energy toward specific ground-based targets.
These solar modules would be assembled by robots in space and eventually form a massive satellite with a diameter of up to 1 kilometer. A second design uses a "running" module, which unfolds like a flat structure to maximize sunlight exposure without overheating, making it more efficient.
Despite the promising vision, the U.S. Navy admits that the project still sounds like science fiction. Dr. Jaffe noted that launching materials into space remains extremely costly, so reducing the weight of components is crucial. He claims the sandwich module design is four times more efficient than previous models.
To address heat issues, Jaffe also experimented with a ladder-like module, which is currently being patented. This design features a zigzag structure that allows solar panels to absorb more sunlight while remaining cooler, improving overall efficiency.
While the idea may seem far-fetched today, the research marks an important step toward developing sustainable, long-range energy solutions from space. If successful, this technology could revolutionize how we power our world.
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