Money Invested in Flower-Shaped Satellite

A new concept for providing power and energy has seemed plausible enough that NASA has actually decided to fund it.  The idea, that was apparently inspired by nature, is to launch a satellite into orbit that would direct sunlight toward solar panels and power plants by using a collection of curved mirrors. This idea was realistic enough to capture the attention of NASA, who are now funding a "proof-of-concept study".

The plans actually came from a previous engineer from NASA named John Mankins.  The whole fancy name for this concept is the Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large PHased Array (or SPS-ALPHA if you're gonna have trouble remembering that).  All the movable parts would be brought up into space to be assembled in orbit.  This ensures that it would be cheaper than building a massive array on the surface and then launching the whole thing into space.  The satellite beams low-intensity microwaves to Earth where it is then changed into electricity, and then added to the power grid.  A pretty neat idea, now only time will tell if it is ever fully implemented.

- Robert

Information and Image from: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-04/nasa-wants-flower-inspired-satellite-array-beaming-solar-power-down-earth?dom=PSC&loc=recent&lnk=8&con=nasa-invests-in-satellites-that-beam-power-down-to-earth