Technologically, spin-offs from the space program have revolutionized fields from medicine to energy generation (solar panels were made to power satellites) to breakfast drinks.

FORBES: Man in Space! 50 Years Later

Orbital debris could block all these benefits for centuries and prevent us from developing clean energy sources like space solar power satellites, exploring our Solar System and someday making humanity a multi-planetary civilization capable of surviving true climatic catastrophes.

FORBES: Beware Of Space Junk

Given the risks of aiming such a powerful beam of high-intensity radiation at an Earth ground station, as well as the cost of building billions of dollars in infrastructure to collect the energy in space, the efficiencies you can get from terrestrial solar power seem a safer bet--at least for now.

FORBES: Galactic Gold Mine?

That could happen about five years from now, perhaps using a laser on the International Space Station to transmit solar power collected by its panels to Earth.

ECONOMIST: Solar power from space