TOKYO (AP) _ Japan plans to develop a satellite fitted with solar panels that would send energy back to the earth, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
The National Space Development Agency, which hopes to launch an experimental version of the satellite between 2005 and 2007, has asked two teams of private companies to submit design proposals by the end of January, the Nihon Keizai financial daily said.
The satellite would be put into orbit by NASDA's H-2A rocket, which had its maiden launch last month, or a similarly sized rocket. It would be able to generate 10 kilowatts to 1megawatts of power, the newspaper said.
NASDA hopes to develop a practical version of a space-based solar-power generation system as early as 2020, the Nihon Keizai said.
One of the teams developing design proposals consists of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and NEC Toshiba Space Systems Ltd. The other includes Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Ishikawajima-Harima Industries Co., IHI Aerospace Engineering Co., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. and Shimizu Corp.
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