China’s space station will run high-energy beam experiment for controversial solar power plant: chief scientist
- Tiangong expected to play a key role in China’s space solar power station project by providing a testing platform for high-voltage electric devices
- Space power station could point beam to almost any location, making it an ideal to power military equipment or remote outposts, says project team
Some space scientists have suggested Tiangong – the largest infrastructure in orbit owned and run exclusively by a single country at present – can change the pace or direction of the space race.
Yang Hong, chief designer of the space station, told a conference in Wenchang, Hainan, on Tuesday that Tiangong would play a key role in China’s space solar power station (SSPS) project by providing a testing platform for high-voltage electric devices and in helping assemble ultra-large structures.
In a lecture at the conference attended by space scientists and engineers from around the world, Yang said the space station had the resources and capability to do demonstrations, “verify key technologies, accelerate technological breakthroughs and accumulate in-orbit experimental data” for the SSPS project.
He said these would help China meet its peak carbon and carbon neutral goals.