Japan Shooting For Space-Based Solar Power | Nikkei.Com

By Web Site Editor, Posted 06/30/09

Link: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/e/fr/tnks/Nni20090627D27JFF04.htm

"The government will by the end of 2009 start developing technologies designed to eventually beam electricity from solar panels in space down to earth. A public solicitation for firms to participate in the endeavor will soon be made and the government expects the electronics and heavy electric machinery industries to participate. The team will first attempt to transmit microwaves for a distance of around 10m with the hope is to extend this to 100m within three to five years. The government plans to launch a small satellite in 2015 to conduct preliminary experiments in space."