Hi mlorrey: I thought magnetrons and klystrons were the standard for beaming power. Can you give us some details about modern maser (microwave laser)?<br />A gigawatt, visable light laser array with delux optics can perhaps illuminate as little as one square kilometer at 150 million kilometers range. That may be enough energy density to power a giant water vapor or helium Stirling engine producing 100 megawatts = 10% efficiency. Mercury is often closer to Earth than 150 million kilometers. Please embellish, refute and/or comment. Neil