Robots ‍Could Build Giant Space Solar Farms, UK Trial Shows

⁢ Updated May 30,⁣ 2025
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Remotely controlled robots may soon ‍construct massive solar farms in space, according to a ‍recent trial by British startup Space Solar. The company conducted its test at the UK Atomic ⁤Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) facilities on the University⁤ of Oxford’s culham Campus.

space ⁣Solar utilized two remotely⁤ operated robotic ⁣arms ‍to assemble a section of‍ the support structure for its planned solar power⁢ satellite, designed to beam solar energy from ‍space to Earth.The⁤ trial⁤ demonstrated the ⁣feasibility of using robotics to assemble gigawatt-scale solar power satellites.

Sam adlen, co-CEO of Space Solar, said the demonstration paves the way for various in-space infrastructure projects.‍ UKAEA is also ‍developing ⁢robots for extreme industrial environments, such as maintaining future fusion power plants. the trial suggests these machines could also be used ‍for space applications.

Professor Rob Buckingham, executive director of ‍UKAEA, noted⁢ the shared challenges between building fusion reactors and space structures, ⁤including remoteness, radiation, and⁣ extreme temperatures. The demonstration indicates that fusion-hardened robotics⁣ could automate the complex assembly of large orbital solar‍ farms, boosting space solar power.

This is a ⁤milestone not just for our satellite architecture, but for the future of⁣ large-scale structures in space, from data centres to energy infrastructure.

A solar Revolution in Space?

Space Solar intends to capture solar energy in space using‍ large ⁣satellites ⁢equipped with solar arrays several kilometers long and about 20 meters wide. ⁣These‍ probes would capture energy via microwaves and wirelessly transmit it to⁤ receiver stations on Earth, converting it into electricity.

The company plans to⁢ commission its first 30-megawatt demonstrator system by 2029, capable of powering approximately ⁤1,000 homes. By the early 2030s,⁤ Space⁣ Solar aims to deploy ⁤its first gigawatt-scale⁢ solar space farm. The UK⁣ Space Agency ⁤has provided grant funding for the advancement of the startup’s initial satellite.

Solar panels in space can theoretically gather more energy than on Earth due ⁣to the greater ⁢intensity of sunlight,⁢ unhindered by the atmosphere. They could also beam energy from orbit around the clock, nonetheless of weather conditions.

Though, space-based solar⁣ power faces challenges.⁣ It is indeed currently more expensive than⁣ ground-based ⁢systems, with initial development of a gigawatt-scale prototype possibly costing ⁤billions of euros. Environmental impacts, such as atmospheric pollution‍ from numerous rocket launches, also pose concerns.

Despite these challenges, the European Space agency (ESA), NASA, and several startups in the UK, U.S., China, and Japan⁢ are working to realize space-based solar power.

What’s next

Space Solar will ⁤continue refining its robotic ⁤assembly techniques‍ and satellite design, ⁣aiming for ‍the 2029 demonstrator launch. Further trials and partnerships are expected as the company progresses toward⁢ its goal of gigawatt-scale space solar ⁤farms.