Part 3/7:
A Vision from the Stars: The Genesis of Space-Based Solar Power
The intriguing concept of using solar panels in outer space began as a figment of science fiction thanks to Isaac Asimov in his 1941 short story. However, serious scientific inquiry into solar power satellites emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s as the United States began to invest in the technology. The preliminary idea was to construct enormous satellites equipped with mirrors to capture high-intensity sunlight, which could then be transformed into forms of electromagnetic radiation, such as microwaves or laser light, and transmitted back to Earth.