How does space-based solar power work?

Space-based solar power works through a chain of energy conversion and transmission steps. First, a large solar power satellite in geostationary orbit collects sunlight using photovoltaic panels or solar concentrators, converting it to electrical power. That electrical power is then converted to microwave or laser radiation by a transmitting system — typically a large phased array antenna for microwave designs. The electromagnetic beam is directed toward a ground-based receiving station. The receiving station uses a rectenna array — a large area of rectifying antenna elements — to convert the received microwave energy back into direct current electricity. That electricity is then conditioned and injected into the power grid. The complete chain involves multiple conversion steps, each with efficiency losses. The advantage over terrestrial solar is that the satellite operates above the atmosphere in continuous sunlight, without daily or seasonal interruption. The major constraints in this chain include the large apertures required for transmission and reception, the cost of delivering satellite mass to orbit, and the complexity of assembling and maintaining large orbital structures.