In a recent posting on The Statesmen website, author Stanley Theodore briefly describes India’s intent to pursue space-based solar power in an article titled ”Solar Energy In Space to Power India.”
The article implies that India has identified the need for cheap, reliable, frequently reusable spacelift as the principle technical challenge that must be overcome. The article states:
“Mr Saraswath [India's Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) chief controller for research and development] said Reusable Launch Vehicles are needed to make [space-based solar power] cost effective.”
Solving the spacelift problem has been identified almost universally in all studies as the principle impediment to all activities in space—this also seems to be the case regarding space-based solar power—now with some independent confirmation from India.
But what is really interesting in Stanley Theodore’s article is the same expression of concern to pursue space-based solar power to “meet ever growing energy requriements” while recognizing that ”the era of conventional fuels is ending.”
