China's space-based solar power generation project could not only provide clean energy to the world, but also become a formidable weapon that can be used in electronic warfare, according to scientists' warnings.
The system would continuously collect solar energy in space and transmit it to Earth in the form of extremely powerful microwave beams.
According to Duan Baoyan, the chief architect of the project, the system, named "Zhuri" (pursuing and capturing the sun), has been redesigned not only to supply power but also to be capable of disrupting enemy communications, conducting surveillance, and controlling guidance systems.
In particular, precise beam streams that can be transmitted from high-altitude locations could potentially be utilized as a tactical weapon.
While space-based solar power (SBSP) technology is also being researched separately by the United States' NASA and the European Space Agency, China's approach appears to incorporate military advantages.
Although constructing massive structures spanning kilometers in space presents significant technological challenges, if successful, it could become a new method to obtain energy around the clock for 24 hours a day.
China is implementing ambitious projects ranging from deploying aircraft carriers in space to constructing nuclear fusion facilities on the ground.
Experts assess that the Zhuri system could become a strategic infrastructure that dominates the space network in the future, and could blur the boundaries between power generation and military capability.
Ref: Interesting Engineering
