Preliminary test results from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) experiment to turn solar energy into microwaves for beaming back to Earth is out, Space.com reports.
Image by Melissa Grim, Partise
The Photovoltaic Radio-frequency Antenna Module Flight Experiment (PRAM-FX) is currently being tested on the X-37B. According to the authors, the results compare favorably with the performance documented in ground testing.
While the current experiment does not beam the power back to Earth, the U.S. Air Force is expected to accomplish that task using the Arachne spacecraft that it plans to launch in 2024. The Space Solar Power Radio Frequency Integrated Transmission Experiment (SSPRITE) is being designed and built by Northrop Grumman.
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