[citation][nom]jellico[/nom]Orbital collectors would be very cool, but I thought they still hadn't worked out the downlink power transmission. If you use a focused laser or microwave to transmit the power down to earth, you'll lose too much going through the atmosphere. We would need an orbital tether, but here again, the loss via heat of power transmission over that great a distance would be non-trivial.[/citation]
Actually no, all the science involved with this a reality has been around for decades. It's possible, they have known how to do it. It's just now becoming financially particle to put the knowledge into practice.
Seems that a private company will may be the first to pull it off.
http/www.examiner.com/x-8199-Breakthrough-Energy-Examiner~y2009m7d4-First-spacetoearth-solar-power-station-targeted-for-Oct-2010
Actually no, all the science involved with this a reality has been around for decades. It's possible, they have known how to do it. It's just now becoming financially particle to put the knowledge into practice.
Seems that a private company will may be the first to pull it off.
http/www.examiner.com/x-8199-Breakthrough-Energy-Examiner~y2009m7d4-First-spacetoearth-solar-power-station-targeted-for-Oct-2010