Following its successful and world-beating trip to the far side of the moon, China is preparing to build a solar power station in space, as the world’s No 2 economy strives to burnish its superpower credentials.
With an $8-billion annual budget for its space programme, second only to the US, China is seeking to compete with its rival for economic, military and technological dominance.
Experimental base
Scientists have already started the construction of an experimental base in the western Chinese city Chongqing. Initially, they plan to develop a smaller power station in the stratosphere between 2021 and 2025, a 1 megawatt-level solar facility in space by 2030, and eventually larger generators, according to the state-backed Science and Technology Daily.
