The Pentagon'S National Security Space Office (NSSO) is considering a study on the use of satellites to collect solar energy for use on Earth, according to Defense Department officials.
This new technology could be one possible method of powering army bases or deployed troops. The project could end up spinning off a system to provide energy to non-military users as well, according to Lt. Col. Michael Hornitschek, Chief of rated force policy on the Air Force staff at the Pentagon. This has often happened with many other technologies.
The President of the Space Solar Power Association in Washington, Mr John Mankins, said that this technology could boost improvements in earth-based solar collection devices, as night-time off periods could be avoided or minimized by collecting the sun in the space.
This is great news for the solar industry as well, since ways to increase solar performance levels are badly needed in order to make solar electricity available at lower prices. Concentration solar energy methods are already trying to achieve this, with good results so far. The new space technology could also do it by increasing the irradiation time considerably, however it seems that we will have to wait for some years still.
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