A senior Chinese engineer is raising the possibility that space-based solar power could do more than just deliver clean energy to Earth; it might even influence extreme weather like typhoons. The idea comes from the Zhuri project, which envisions a megawatt-class demonstration in Earth orbit by 2030. According to Duan Baoyan, a leading scientist on the project, microwave beams generated by a space facility could be directed to heat moisture within storm systems, potentially altering regional atmospheric patterns and affecting a typhoon’s strength and trajectory.
Duan, a mechanical engineering professor at Xidian University in Xi’an, explained in People’s Daily that if the energy output is sufficiently high, this approach could modify atmospheric circulation on a regional scale. He also noted additional practical uses: the facility could recharge satellites, space stations, and deep-space probes, enabling longer missions and farther travel. He even suggested that future space-based power networks or lunar bases might depend on this kind of “space-based power bank” technology.
The Zhuri concept, first proposed in 2013 by Duan and colleagues, envisions a kilometre-scale solar power station in geostationary orbit roughly 36,000 kilometers above Earth, capable of generating gigawatts of electricity. To test the feasibility, a 75-meter-tall ground-based tower was constructed in 2022 to replicate the entire process on Earth—from sun tracking and solar concentration to electricity generation, microwave transmission, and power reception. The ground system has since achieved notable milestones, including a “one-to-many transmission” capability that lets a single microwave transmitter feed power to multiple moving receivers rather than a single fixed target.
This technology promises a range of potential benefits beyond weather control, but it also raises questions and debate about the true feasibility, safety, and broader implications of manipulating natural systems from space. What are your thoughts on using space-based power beams for weather modification or other high-stakes applications? And what safeguards would you consider essential before pursuing such capabilities?
