The Three Gorges Dam, one of the largest engineering feats in the world, marked China’s rise as a global power. Now, China is reportedly turning its sights to an even more ambitious endeavor: generating solar power from space.

According to the South China Morning Post, senior rocket scientist Long Lehao is spearheading a project to deploy large-scale solar power stations in orbit.

“We are working on this project now. It is as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000km (22,370 miles) above the Earth. This is an incredible project to look forward to,” said Long Lehao, a rocket scientist and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Can it actually work?

Solar panels on spacecraft have been used since the 1950s, way before they became mainstream on Earth. However, harnessing solar power locally and beaming it back to Earth are two completely different issues.

The concept of space-based solar power isn’t new, however. It was described in 1941 in science fiction by renowned writer Isaac Asimov, who described a space station transmitting energy collected from the sun using microwave beams. The main advantage is that you can harness much more energy in space than on Earth, where the sunlight has to pass through the atmosphere.

The concept was described in Science in 1968. Then, in 1974, NASA conducted the first large-scale study on this type of project. NASA identified several key obstacles. Most notable was the expense of putting the required materials in orbit and the lack of projects of this scale in space. Still, they did acknowledge that the idea shows promise.

This concept has been evaluated repeatedly since then but was always found to be way too expensive and risky to be a reliable plan. If Long’s statements are true, then China may consider the risks worth taking.

“Imagine installing a solar array 1km wide along the 36,000km geostationary orbit,” Long added. “The energy collected in one year would be equivalent to the total amount of oil that can be extracted from the Earth.”

The key element: big rockets

For our current technology, this approach can only work in a geostationary orbit, where it would remain stationary relative to Earth. This can optimize sunlight exposure and makes beaming the energy back to the ground much simpler. However, in order to do this, you need some massive rocket power.

China is already working on the development of the Long March-9 (CZ-9), a reusable heavy-lift rocket. In fact, this is one of Long’s core projects.

The massive rocket is planned for 2033 when it is expected to have a maximum payload capacity of 150,000 kg to low Earth orbit and 54,000 kg to the moon. But even the success of this rocket project is uncertain, let alone whether it will be used to build a space solar power facility. However, while it’s hard to gauge just how serious Long’s comments are, China is making serious investments in research related to space-based solar power.

In 2021, the nation began constructing a test facility in Bishan, where engineers are developing ground-based systems to validate key technologies. The “Chasing Sun Project,” led by Xian University of Electronic Science and Technology, has already achieved breakthroughs in microwave power transmission efficiency.

Other countries are also looking into this

Meanwhile, the United States and Japan are also making strides. In 2023, California Institute of Technology launched a prototype satellite to test space solar technologies. Similarly, Japan’s JAXA has conducted successful experiments in wireless power transmission and plans to test a space solar station in the near future.

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK have also entered the fray. ESA’s SOLARIS initiative aims to develop operational solar power satellites by the 2030s, while the UK plans to launch a space power station in the mid-2040s.

This resurgence in interest is driven by two factors: the global transition to clean energy and the geopolitical race for technological supremacy. As nations want to use more and more energy while also reducing carbon emissions, the allure of space-based solar power grows stronger. Unlike terrestrial solar and wind energy, space solar power operates 24/7, unaffected by weather or daylight cycles.

Geopolitically, the first nation to master this technology would gain immense leverage. Space solar power could provide energy independence, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and create opportunities for energy exports via wireless transmission.

China’s pursuit aligns with its broader ambitions to dominate the space economy. Beyond energy, the infrastructure required for space solar stations — heavy-lift rockets, orbital assembly platforms, and advanced satellites — could propel China ahead in space exploration and commercial ventures.

Space-based solar power has often been called the “Manhattan Project” of energy — a transformative endeavor with the potential to reshape human civilization. For China, this project represents not just an energy solution but a statement of its scientific and engineering capabilities.