[radoomi]

Imagine planes with a receiver (that fly above the clouds) and are closer to the satellites.

Probably not needed anymore with the recent breakthroughs in battery density but still a nice future we have ahead...

[tenpies]

It's more than being imagined, it seems it might even be tested, we just won't know about it for a while:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33339/x-37b-space-plan...

[Gravityloss]

This was on NASA's reference roadmap around the year 2000. First X-33, then something air breathing and finally flying saucers powered by ground and space lasers.

[JeanMarcS]

Well less weight is less power needed so why not, it's still a good idea.