What one reporter learned about space-based solar power
Reporter's Notebook
I always learn a lot from every story I write, but reporting on space solar technology really opened my mind to how fascinating our cleantech future might look — potentially.
I say “potentially” because putting solar panels in space at the scale we would need in order to tap into 24/7, low-carbon power won’t happen tomorrow. However, super small-scale demonstration projects are kicking off next year.
That’s exactly what attracted me to write these stories: the fact that progress is happening in an area once confined to science fiction storytelling. I was curious to learn how it would all work and what challenges these projects would face.
I’ve long been enthralled by space and humanity’s attempts to tap more deeply into it, so when I heard the European Space Agency is seriously exploring this technology, I was keen to learn more about the effort.
Space solar is a technical topic and the details can become overwhelming. I also found that one answered question often led to twice as many additional questions when my basic knowledge of physics reached its limit.
My goal was to include just the right amount of detail, so Cipher readers could experience the same ‘wow’ factor I did while reporting.
I’m a visual learner, so I repeatedly watched videos and looked at photos to really grasp how this monster space satellite would function tens of thousands of miles away. I encourage you to look at the video we linked to in the second story because it really helped me (and my editors!) grasp the physics involved.
It was inspiring to talk to long-standing experts in the space solar field, sensing their enthusiasm and passion as they explained the details of their decades-long commitment to a technology that has yet to be deployed. Asking physicists and technical experts to sift through jargon and break down concepts more simply was both challenging and rewarding. Understanding critics’ perspectives and concerns was sobering.
I loved reporting and writing about this intriguing technology; in sum on space solar I would say… stay tuned?