A Dyson–Harrop satellite is a hypothetical megastructure intended for power generation using the solar wind. It is inspired by the Dyson sphere, but much harder to detect from another star system. The concept for the so-called Dyson–Harrop satellite begins with a long metal wire loop pointed at the sun. This wire is charged to generate a cylindrical magnetic field that snags the electrons that make up half the solar wind. These electrons get funnelled into a metal spherical receiver to produce a current, which generates the wire's magnetic field – making the system self-sustaining. Any current not needed for the magnetic field powers an infrared laser trained on satellite dishes back on Earth, designed to collect the energy. Earth's air does not absorb infra-red light, so the system would