Could solar farms in space power Earth?

It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the idea of
assembling giant solar farms in space and then beaming the
renewable energy back down to Earth is gaining real life
traction. Some advocates have claimed it could supply all the
world’s energy needs by 2050.


But how would these solar farms be assembled, how much fuel and
money would it take to blast them into space in the first place,
and how would we safely beam their energy back to Earth?


Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones speak to Sanjay Vijendran, in
charge of space-based solar at the European Space Agency, learn
about the history of the idea from Rick Tumlinson, founder of
SpaceFund, and hear words of caution from Dr Jovana Radulovic,
head of mechanical and design engineering at Portsmouth
University in the UK. Plus, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet
describes life on the International Space Station and how it’s
powered.


Thanks to the Space Studies Institute for extracts of their
interview with Gerard O’Neill.


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Producer: Simon Tulett Researchers: Matt Toulson and Graihagh
Jackson Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound
engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator - Siobhan Reed