Using a few mirrors, Solar Panels and a Microwave Transmitter, Fan Guanheng and his team can send power over 100 metres (330 feet) through the air. But they are dreaming much bigger – 36,000km (23,460 miles) bigger.The team at Xidian University in Xian, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi province, are testing hardware that could one day be used to generate power in space and send it back to Earth.On a sweltering June morning, the team were measuring how well light was concentrated by a 4.8-metre, dome-shaped mirror suspended from a 75-metre-tall tower.
SRCSouth China Morning Post
LANGEN
LEANCenter-Right
WORDS92
ENT8
FRI · 2026-06-19 · 01:00 GMTBRIEF NSR-2026-0619-85657
NSR-2026-0619-85657News Report·EN·Technology
The Chinese scientists hoping to use a space solar plant to power the world
Chinese scientists at Xidian University in Xian are developing a space-based solar power system. Led by Fan Guanheng, the team has demonstrated the ability to transmit power over 100 meters wirelessly using mirrors, solar panels, and a microwave transmitter.
Ling XinSouth China Morning PostFiled 2026-06-19 · 01:00 GMTLean · Center-RightRead · 1 min
South China Morning PostFIG 01
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1min
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92words
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0cited
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8entities
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100%
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Briefing Summary
AI-generatedNEWSAR · AI
Chinese scientists at Xidian University in Xian are developing a space-based solar power system. Led by Fan Guanheng, the team has demonstrated the ability to transmit power over 100 meters wirelessly using mirrors, solar panels, and a microwave transmitter. Their ultimate goal is to generate power in space and beam it back to Earth from an altitude of 36,000 kilometers. Currently, they are testing hardware, including a large dome-shaped mirror suspended from a tower, to concentrate sunlight. This research aims to create a future energy source for the planet.
Confidence 0.85Claims 4Entities 8
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Article analysis
Model · rule-basedFraming
Technology
Human Interest
Tone
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CalmNeutralAlarmist
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0.70 / 1.00
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Key claims
4 extracted01
The team is measuring light concentration using a 4.8-meter, dome-shaped mirror suspended from a 75-meter tower.
factualXidian University team
Confidence
0.95
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The team can currently send power over 100 meters through the air using mirrors, solar panels, and a microwave transmitter.
factualFan Guanheng and his team
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0.95
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A team at Xidian University is testing hardware for a space solar plant to send power back to Earth.
factualXidian University team
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0.90
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The ultimate goal is to generate power in space and transmit it over a distance of 36,000 km.
predictionFan Guanheng and his team
Confidence
0.70
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Full report
1 min read · 92 words§ 05
Entities
8 identifiedKey playerOppositionContextPositiveNeutralNegative
Organizations1
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Keywords & salience
7 termsspace solar plant
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power transmission
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wireless power
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xidian university
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microwave transmitter
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solar energy
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china
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