NASA has invested in a proof-of-concept study about the possibility of launching satellites that would gather energy using solar cells and beam it to Earth via low-intensity microwaves.
SPS-ALPHA (Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large Phased Array) would consist of thousands of curved mirrors, which could be assembled piece by piece into a giant orbital platform. The satellite's bio-mimetic design is based on the shape of a flower.
If successful, the satellite could deliver 10s to 1000s of megawatts to Earth markets and space missions using wireless power transmission. The one-year feasibility study of the concept is still in progress.
[popsci.]
