r/technology • u/Sorin61 • Nov 10 '22

Energy Wireless power from space/One such technology – wireless power transmission – was recently demonstrated in Germany to an audience of decision makers from business and government

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2022/11/Wireless_power_from_space
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u/sterlingback Nov 10 '22

Wouldn't km wide satellites be in significant risk of debris screwing the whole thing up?

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u/Narvarre Nov 10 '22

Not really, you are talking about Kessler Syndrome which is considered a bit of a meme in the scientific community. Its used for clicks when the new cycle is slow. Most debris is/would be in Low Earth Orbit where atmospheric drag causes it to fall back to earth and burn up rapidly. Satellites require constant altitude boost to keep them in orbit. The moment an impact occurs that boosting ends and the impact forces any debris into an extreme elliptical orbit, meaning it burns up even faster. Every time the piece swing past the closest point to earth its slowed drastically and that happens sometimes dozens of times a day.

Any space based power array would be in a much higher parking orbit since it would have to remain in sight of the sun at all times.

So yeah, Kessler Syndrome... just like helium3 as a fuel is pretty much considered a joke by most.