Power from Orbit

Britain sets itself a national goal worthy of its history: within fifteen years, a 2 gigawatt solar power station in geostationary orbit delivering its power into the national grid, comparable to a large nuclear station. The programme climbs a ladder of capability that begins with what Britain already does well, from removing debris and servicing satellites to robotic assembly in orbit. On the way it beams the first power from orbit to a British receiver by year four, flies a 40 megawatt demonstrator by year six and operates a 500 megawatt station by year ten. An orbital power contract, working like a Contract for Difference, pays only for electricity actually delivered and allows private finance to be raised against it. An independent national space agency is re-established, and defence and human spaceflight branches grow from the same industrial base. The mission is funded in five-year blocks released only as each stage succeeds, at a cost of about £40 billion to the first station, around three-quarters of it public, over fifteen years.