ESA SOLARIS Initiative

ESA SOLARIS is the European Space Agency's preparatory initiative to assess the feasibility of Space-Based Solar Power as a contributor to European energy independence and decarbonisation goals. Launched in 2021 as a formal ESA programme element, SOLARIS aims to determine by the late 2020s whether SBSP is technically and economically viable at scales relevant to European energy needs. The initiative encompasses full system concept studies, wireless power transmission demonstration planning, launch and in-space assembly roadmaps, and engagement with ESA member states on funding commitments. SOLARIS published a landmark Concurrent Design Facility study in 2022 and has presented findings to the European Parliament. The programme explicitly connects SBSP potential to EU energy security objectives following geopolitical shifts in European energy supply. ESA has proposed a potential in-orbit demonstration mission in the 2030s contingent on member state approval and budget allocation. SOLARIS coordinates with national space agencies across ESA member states and has fostered connections with the UK Space Energy Initiative and other national efforts. The programme remains in the preparatory and advocacy phase; no hardware has been committed or funded for flight as of the programme's current stage.