Japan is building a system to beam wireless electricity from space directly to Earth: Inside the OHISAMA mission that could change how we power our homes
Japan is developing the OHISAMA project, a space-based solar power mission designed to beam electricity to Earth via microwaves. The project aims to launch a satellite in 2026 to prove that clean, continuous energy can be harvested from space regardless of weather or time of day.
Why it matters
Successful space-based solar power could revolutionize global energy infrastructure by providing a reliable, renewable, and weather-independent power source.
Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP), a technology Japan is currently pioneering to ensure a sustainable future, has the ability to provide a world where solar energy never fades, even when the sun sets or clouds gather. At the heart of this journey is the OHISAMA project, named after a lovely Japanese term for ‘the sun’ that conveys warmth and gratitude.Commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Japan, this mission plans to launch a small satellite into orbit by 2026. Unlike land-based solar farms, this revolving power station will capture high-intensity sunlight in space and beam it back to Earth using precise microwave technology. If successful, OHISAMA will provide the first real-world proof that we can harvest clean, ‘always-on’ energy from space.What is the OHISAMA missionThe OHISAMA project is a government-led initiative coordinated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Japan Space Systems.
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