China: a National Roadmap to Gigawatts
What is China planning, and how credible is its timeline?
Chapter summary
China has the most explicit national roadmap: tests in low orbit, a megawatt-scale orbital demonstration around 2030 and a gigawatt-scale station around 2050.
Key takeaways
- 1
Xidian University's Zhuri ground platform, a 75-metre tower in Xi'an led by academician Duan Baoyan, reportedly delivered 1,180 watts over more than 100 metres while steering microwaves to moving targets in 2026, and reports say space solar power appears in China's 15th Five-Year Plan.
- 2
China is also developing the Long March 9 super-heavy rocket, which Chinese planners have linked to SBSP and orbital data centres.
- 3
The roadmap is credible as a research programme; the gigawatt target depends on heavy reusable launch that China has not yet demonstrated (Study S5).
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