China's Four-step Plan To Build Space Photovoltaic Power Plants

It is reported that related personnel of Chinese rocket development mentioned that China is preparing to launch a new super heavyweight rocket in order to build a space photovoltaic power plant system on a geostationary orbit. The "Long March 9" that is expected to be launched in 2030 is a super-heavy rocket with a weight of about 878 tons and a total length of about 57 meters that is currently being developed by China. The rocket has a load capacity of 140 to 150 tons in low earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of about 2,000 kilometers, and a load of 50 to 53 tons when it is put into a transfer lunar orbit (TLI). Compared with the about 8.2 tons of the lunar probe "Chang'e 5" launched by China in November 2020, it can be seen that its scale is unprecedented.

According to Long Lehao, chief designer of the Long March series, Long March 9 will be used for the construction of a "space solar power system". Many artificial satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) use solar power generation systems to obtain electricity, but the cosmic solar power generation system that converts the generated electricity into microwaves and then transmits it to the ground, and then converts it into electricity. It is a system of "space photovoltaic power station built in the universe".

The advantages of installing a solar power system in space are:

①The power generation is hardly affected by weather and season;

②The conversion efficiency of solar energy in space can be increased by 14 times. Scientists have long put forward the idea of using satellites to absorb solar energy in space, and then convert the energy into microwaves and send it back to the earth. The idea of this cosmic solar power system was proposed by Peter Glaser of the United States in 1968. In recent years, the United States, Japan and other countries have been planning to build it.

China's space photovoltaic power plant will advance its development with a four-step vision.

The first step is from 2011 to 2020. This stage is the verification and design of the space power station.

The second step is from 2021 to 2025. In this phase, the first low-orbit space power station system will be built.

The third step is from 2026 to 2040. In this phase, the space power station system will be launched and assembled.

The fourth step is from 2036 to 2050, which is the stage of officially realizing the commercial operation of the power station. The design service life of China's space photovoltaic power station is 30 years.

China released a construction plan for the cosmic solar power system in 2008, and the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) began trials in 2019. It is said that a small-scale power generation test will be implemented in 2022, and the power generation will be increased to a megawatt scale around 2030, and a gigawatt-scale commercial solar power generation system can be realized by 2050.

Experts have proposed a budget. The construction of this space photovoltaic power station is expected to cost 8 trillion yuan, which is equivalent to the construction cost of hundreds of Three Gorges hydropower stations. However, with China’s current strength, it is fully capable and has sufficient funds to build space photovoltaic power plants. Power station.