Science & Tech | The ambitious project would involve a space-based solar station generating power in the orbit and then transmitting the same to Earth.
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China is embarking on yet another bold energy megaproject, following its announcement of the construction of the largest dam globally, this time venturing into space. A prominent Chinese scientist has referred to this initiative as "a Three Gorges Dam project in orbit." According to the South China Morning Post, scientist Long Lehao is considering the use of super heavy rockets to establish solar power stations beyond our planet.
The visionary initiative aims to establish a solar power station in space that would harness solar energy in orbit and relay it back to Earth. These solar stations have the advantage of producing energy consistently, unaffected by the fluctuations of day and night.
"We are currently engaged in this project, which holds as much importance as relocating the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000 km (22,370 miles) above the Earth. This is an extraordinary endeavor that we eagerly anticipate," stated Lehao, a rocket scientist and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).
The immense scale of the project has led specialists to draw parallels with the Three Gorges Dam in central China, recognized as the largest hydropower project globally. This monumental structure is located along the middle section of the Yangtze River, the longest river in China. When it becomes fully operational, the dam is expected to produce an annual power output of 100 billion kWh.
"Picture a solar array stretching 1 kilometer wide positioned along the 36,000-kilometer geostationary orbit," Long remarked during a presentation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in October.
A Chinese scientist has asserted that the solar energy harvested from a proposed megaproject each year could match the total energy output of all the oil reserves on Earth. He noted that implementing the solar system in outer space would necessitate the creation of super-heavy rockets. Long has suggested that the Long March-9 (CZ-9), a reusable heavy-lift rocket designed by his team, could be utilized to carry the bulky equipment into Earth's orbit.
(With contributions from various agencies)
