Solar panel equipped, energy transmitting satellites collect high intensity, uninterrupted solar radiation by using giant mirrors to reflect huge amounts of solar rays onto smaller solar collectors.
They work well in space because they receive the full amount of sunlight without any atmosphere or clouds getting in the way. This assumes that objects such as other planets don't cover up the sun. Also, the spacecraft can't be too far away from the sun. If the spacecraft was at Pluto for instance, then the sun is not as effective as compared to at Mars.
