"the state has decided that power from outside the earth...is to be China’s future direction"

[bananas]

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1938/1

National Space Strategy: proactive or reactive?
by Christopher Stone
Monday, October 3, 2011

<snip>

Recently, the Chinese have committed to the development and deployment of SBSP architectures in low earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) as a vital part of the nation’s “future direction”, according to a paper by three space scientists from the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

<snip>

According to the paper by CAST, “the state has decided that power from outside the earth, such as solar power and the development of other space energy resources is to be China’s future direction.” This is not a mere statement of desire as is the case in many circles of the United States space advocacy arena; rather it is a real program that is “currently under development in China”.

<snip>

As mentioned previously, China’s desire is to be recognized as the leader in space. To do this, and to support their future economic power and influence worldwide, energy development and the applications of space resources are the way forward. Their human spaceflight program, including the recent launch of Tiangong 1 and the autonomous rendezvous and docking technologies they are developing, will enable the new technologies needed for this SBSP architecture as well as Chinese long-range plans for deep space exploration and “colonial expansion”.

This plan for space includes the following five-step plan to achieve their SBSP plans (concurrently with their space station development and other programs):

2010: CAST finished their concept design
2020: Finish the industrial level testing of in-orbit construction and wireless transmissions
2025: Complete the first 100kW SBSP demonstration in LEO
2050: The first operational level SBSP system will be deployed in GEO.

<snip>

[cantbeserious]

1. MeanWhile The Republicans and Tea Partiers Squabble Over Table Scraps

eom

[liberal N proud]

2. Leaving the US in the dust

[Firebrand Gary]

3. We have got to vote these Tea Fuckers out stat!

[phantom power]

4. "other space energy resources" == ?

[bananas]

5. I wondered about that too

Not sure what they meant, there might be something lost in translation.
The article also quotes them as saying "colonial expansion",
so they could be referring to energy for use in space/lunar/martian colonies.
NASA is looking at turning lunar ice into rocket fuel.
If we ever get fusion working, lunar helium-3 could be used.
Long conductive tethers in earth orbit would generate electricity as they pass through the earths magnetic field.
Antimatter has been found in the Van Allen belts.