Just weeks after unveiling plans for the world’s largest dam, China is setting its sights on the stars with an audacious solar power project. Spearheaded by renowned rocket scientist Long Lehao, this new venture aims to deploy a solar array one kilometer wide in geostationary orbit, 36,000 kilometers above Earth. With no day-night cycle or weather interference, the system will continuously collect solar energy, marking a revolution in power generation.
Long Lehao compares the project to China’s monumental Three Gorges Dam, which produces 100 billion kWh annually. In fact, he envisions this space-based initiative generating as much energy as all the oil on Earth, collected in just one year. It’s an idea so bold, it feels like plucking sunlight straight from the heavens.
To make this possible, China plans to develop massive rockets like the Long March-9, which will surpass NASA’s heaviest launch vehicles in terms of carrying capacity. With a height of 110 meters, the CZ-9 rocket is poised to make the construction of this solar station a reality.
While the project is still in its early stages, its potential could change the global energy landscape, offering a continuous, reliable power source. It’s a gamble that could catapult China into the future of sustainable energy, a true leap from river dams to space stations.
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