RESEARCH: In space,there is no atmosphere and solar energy is five times more powerful than it is on earth Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,says the third law of prediction by Arthur C Clarke. The idea of generating electricity in space and then transmitting it to earth may sound incredible right now,but if Suresh Naik,former Group Director,Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),is to be believed,it is possible. In fact,many space agencies,including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),are working on it. The idea was broached some two decades ago,but most of space agencies did not pursue it then because they estimated that the costs involved in harnessing such electricity would be prohibitive. Now,the idea is again being taken up by agencies all over the world and a lot of research is being done on it. I,too,recently presented a paper on this at an international space convention in Chicago, said Naik. The principle of generating electricity in space is simple: on earth,solar cells harness suns energy and turn it into electricity. In space,the energy of the sun is five times more powerful than it is on earth. It is also undiminished by atmosphere,pollution or cloud cover. The process involves sending satellites equipped with solar panels that would trap suns energy,generate electricity,convert this electricity to radio frequency energy and then transmit it back to an earth station. The technology is the same as that of domestic microwave ovens. The main deterrent so far has been the cost of equipment involved. You will need a lot of satellites that will house the equipment that does this work. Sending one satellite itself costs Rs 150- 200 crore. Add to it the cost of the equipment and there is a huge sum involved, said Naik. He added that now,with advantages of such energy becoming more obvious and the energy needs of the planet going up,scientists are working hard to bring down the costs. A big advantage for this energy is that unlike coal and petroleum,it is renewable and non polluting. Astronomers world over have started to call for reduction in cost of launching of space stations and satellites to make this idea of generating energy from space feasible in the near future. ISRO is doing some initial studies in this regard and I think we should be able to show the feasibility of this project by showing its functionality at a small level. For example,we may show a transistor powered by solar space energy. This will set a great precedent for other space agencies in the world, Naik said.
