If ChatGPT's math is correct, a point-size flat mirror will project a 5 km beam width at a distance of 500 km: https://chatgpt.com/share/d8858873-0c51-4024-a82d

If ChatGPT's math is correct, a point-size flat mirror will project a 5 km beam width at a distance of 500 km: https://chatgpt.com/share/d8858873-0c51-4024-a82d-8cb12922bef1 https://chatgpt.com/share/d8858873-0c51-4024-a82d-8cb12922be... So in order to receive this beam efficiently, you would need a solar array 5 km in diameter with 100% ground coverage. Efficiency decreases if the array is smaller or less dense. Maybe you could use a curved mirror to focus the beam to a smaller diameter, but that seems more difficult than spinning a flat mylar sheet. Assuming you had such an array, every 1 m^2 of mirror should provide roughly as much power as 1 m^2 of panels on the ground.