America must win the race for space solar power — or buy it from China

While Congress debates incremental changes to our energy policy, China is racing to secure perhaps the most transformative energy technology since nuclear power: the ability to beam limitless solar energy from space to Earth. Unless America acts soon, we may find ourselves buying this game-changing capability from Beijing rather than developing it for ourselves.

This isn’t science fiction. At a recent congressional briefing, experts laid out how space-based solar power (SBSP) could revolutionize our energy landscape. The concept is elegantly simple: satellites collect solar power in space and beam it back to Earth using safe microwave transmission, similar to WiFi. Unlike ground-based solar farms, these systems could deliver clean power 24/7, unaffected by weather or nighttime.

The timing couldn’t be more urgent. The East Coast power grid alone needs the equivalent of 15 nuclear power plants worth of new capacity within the next decade — we’re even firing up Three Mile Island again. Our aging infrastructure and increasing extreme weather events are pushing our grid to its limits. 

While America dithers, China is charging ahead, announcing plans to build a prototype SBSP system by 2030 that would become the largest human-made object in space. This isn’t just about energy — it’s about demonstrating space capabilities that could revolutionize military operations and industrial development in orbit.

“China will be producing this in less than 20 years, and we’ll be buying from them,” Peter Garretson, a leading SBSP expert and fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, warned congressional staff during a recent briefing.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Energy represents roughly 10% of global GDP. Whoever masters space solar power gains not just energy independence but potential control over a multi-trillion-dollar market that will define the next era of space operations.

It’s worth mentioning that the space infrastructure and manufacturing industry is expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2040. An ambitious U.S.-led space-based solar power project would translate to thousands of high-paying engineering and support services jobs right here on Earth.

America has a choice to make. We can watch as China develops this technology and eventually sells it back to us — much as they’ve done with solar panels and other clean energy technologies. Or we can act now to secure American leadership in what could become the most important energy innovation of the century.

We already have the building blocks for SBSP. American companies have demonstrated the core technologies, and some U.S. start-ups, like Aetherflux and Virtus Solis, as well as established aerospace leaders like Northrup Grumman, are ready to build and launch demonstration missions. Thanks to U.S. companies like SpaceX, launch costs are plummeting. What we lack is national coordination and commitment. Unlike China’s focused national program, our efforts are fragmented among NASA, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense — each of which expects someone else to take the lead.

The solution is clear: Congress must establish a dedicated national space solar power program led by the U.S. Space Force, with clear leadership and adequate funding. The investment required — likely several billion dollars of public and private money over the next decade — pales in comparison to the strategic and economic benefits at stake.

Partnering with Congress, the president should direct the U.S. Space Force to facilitate a partnership among government, commercial and academia groups to target with a commercial end-to-end demonstration of SBSP by 2027. With the government supporting an industry-led effort by providing access to labs and technical expertise, such an aggressive timeline can be a reality.

Space solar power isn’t just another energy source. It’s a solution to multiple national challenges. It would enhance our energy security by reducing dependence on foreign energy sources. It would strengthen our grid reliability by providing power that can be beamed anywhere it’s needed. It also would help address climate concerns by providing clean, continuous power generation. It would demonstrate and improve our ability to commercially manufacture and assemble large energy systems on the high frontier, supporting American commercial leadership in space.

The question isn’t whether this technology will be deployed, but whether America will lead or follow. As Congress debates infrastructure and energy legislation, it must recognize that space solar power represents a critical opportunity to secure America’s energy future while also creating a new soft-power tool for our nation. The alternative — watching China take the lead in powering Earth from space — is simply unacceptable.

We put Americans on the moon in less than a decade when the Space Race demanded it. Today’s energy race demands similar bold commitment. The technology is ready. The market opportunity is clear. All that’s missing is the national will to lead.

David Steitz served as NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy and Strategy and as the agency’s Deputy Chief Technologist, retiring in 2022. Steitz now works as a technology policy and strategic communications consultant in Washington.

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