Value chain · CLM-0294
In plain terms
In December 2024 a Japanese team beamed 5.8 GHz microwaves from a business jet flying at 7,000 metres down to a receiving site about 5 kilometres below, 40 times over four flights, and the measured beam shape matched theory closely. The report gives the strength of the received signal only in decibels, and states no transmitted power, no received electrical power and no efficiency, so it shows that the beam could be formed and aimed at that range, not that any useful amount of power was delivered.
The claim as recorded
Japan Space Systems reports conducting 40 microwave power transmission runs across 4 flights between 2024-12-03 and 2024-12-06, transmitting at 5.8 GHz from a phased array panel mounted in the fairing of a Diamond Air Service Gulfstream-IV business jet flying at 7,000 m altitude and 700 km/h, to a rectenna and 13-device measurement array laid out over a 600 m square at the Kirigamine glider gliding range (site altitude about 1,700 m), giving a vertical transmission path of about 5 km; measured antenna pattern null-point spacing was 8.3 degrees against a theoretical 7.9 degrees; the report states received signal levels in dBm only, and gives no transmitted RF power, no received DC power and no end-to-end transmission efficiency.
Scope and limits
ACHIEVED, and one of the few genuinely measured 2024-2026 SBSP results in the source register, but it must not be used to support any claim about power delivery, transmission efficiency, or the viability of orbital power beaming. Received levels of order -80 dBm to -10 dBm correspond to roughly 10^-11 to 10^-4 W, so this is a beam-shape and pointing measurement, not a power transfer of energetic significance. The report is a slide deck labelled "First Report" presenting preliminary results, not a full test report or a peer-reviewed paper; graded T4 as the commissioned body's own report with a named author and a disclosed test method, but a reader who grades slide decks as T5 would take conf down to LOW, and that reading is reasonable. Stance is marked ADV because the deck's own conclusion page argues for SBSP ("SSPS is no longer a product of fantasy or science fiction").
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
"Japan Space Systems successfully conducted 40 power transmission experiments in 4 flight, achieving the objectives of this demonstration test." (p.13); "Duration of the Demonstration Test: December 3-6, 2024 ... Test Location: Suwa Area, Nagano Prefecture, JAPAN, Kirigamine glider gliding range (Altitude about 1,700m)" (p.8); "Thirteen measuring devices were placed in a 600m square area of the test site" (p.9); "Test Aircraft: Diamond Air Services' Gulfstream-IV type Business jet" (p.10); "Flying altitude 7,000m" (p.11); "the test aircraft plan to fly at 700 km/h" (p.12); "The transmission distance ... about 5km (vertical)" (p.6); null-point spacing plot, theoretical 7.9 degrees against experimental 8.3 degrees (p.15); received-level plot axes labelled "Received Level [dBm]" spanning about -80 dBm to -10 dBm (p.14 to p.16); "It was confirmed that the following were good: Antenna Pattern, Antenna characteristics, Tracking characteristics, Received field intensity" (p.16). Frequency of 5.8 GHz is from the JSS news item of 2024-12-13, not from the report deck itself.
Related records
- Answers question
- QST-002 not published in this releaseQST-006 not published in this release
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-0294
CLM-0294, Energy Aperture, as of 2024-12-12.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.