Space Solar Power Station Beams Electricity to Earth for First Time: China's Zhuri-1 Achieves 10MW Microwave Transmission

Space Solar Power Station Beams Electricity to Earth for First Time: China's Zhuri-1 Achieves 10MW Microwave Transmission

On March 3, 2028, the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) announced that its space solar power station 'Zhuri-1' completed its first large-scale microwave power transmission test in orbit. The station transmitted 10 megawatts of solar power from geostationary orbit at 36,000 km altitude to a ground receiving station via microwave beam, achieving an end-to-end energy conversion efficiency of 87%.

Zhuri-1 was assembled in orbit from components launched by Long March 9 rockets in September 2027. The station consists of three solar array panels totaling 1 square kilometer, a microwave transmission antenna, and an attitude control system. The ground receiving station is located in Panzhihua, Sichuan, covering approximately 5 hectares.

CAST's chief engineer stated: 'Space solar power's advantage is immunity to weather and daylight — at geostationary orbit, solar energy density is 5 to 10 times that on the ground, and 24-hour continuous power generation is possible.'

Technical Breakthrough

The core breakthrough lies in the high-efficiency microwave transmission system. The CAST team adopted 94 GHz millimeter waves as the transmission carrier, which experiences only one-third the atmospheric attenuation of traditional 2.45 GHz microwaves. The receiving end uses a rectenna array that converts microwaves directly to DC power.

The 87% conversion efficiency means only 13% of energy is lost between the space solar panels and the grid. This far exceeds the 60% efficiency previously achieved by Japan's JAXA in laboratory settings.

Application Prospects

CAST has signed a cooperation agreement with State Grid Corporation of China, planning to build a 200 MW commercial space solar power station by 2030. Preliminary calculations show space solar energy costs approximately 0.8 yuan per kilowatt-hour — higher than ground-based solar's 0.3 yuan, but economically viable for remote areas and islands.

Internationally, ESA's SOLARIS program and Japan's JAXA SSPS program are also advancing. The ESA Director General stated: 'China has successfully validated the technical feasibility of space solar power, which has significant implications for global energy transition.'

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Public safety concerns about microwave transmission remain. CAST stated that Zhuri-1's microwave beam power density has been rigorously designed to be one-tenth of ICNIRP safety standards at the receiving station's edge. Even if an aircraft enters the beam zone, passengers would not be exposed to harmful radiation.

However, space debris remains a concern. A Tsinghua University aerospace professor noted: 'Large space solar power stations need active debris protection systems, which increases construction and maintenance costs.'