Is Solar Energy from Outer Space in Our Future? – Part Two: Alternatives to the Geosynchronous Solar Array

In looking at how we can harvest solar energy in space and deliver it to Earth-based receiving stations for transmission through local or national grids, several alternatives to kilometres-square arrays have been proposed. One of these borrows from the current strategy SpaceX is using to deploy a telecommunications network through a constellation of orbiting satellites providing global coverage for data, images and voice transmissions. What can work for telecommunications could conceivably also work for transmitting solar energy to the planet's surface. A prototype of this concept would be far easier and cheaper to deploy than the proposed UK geosynchronous solar power array. And an interesting benefit of the technology would be the ability to use it in point-to-point space to Earth energy transmission in the event of an area on the planet experiencing a natural disaster or war causing disruption to normal power supplies.