Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Space Based Solar Power Status

nextbigfuture.com

excerpts:
  • the progress status of SSPS in Japan
  • the advantages of Japan's SSPS technology
  • Other Space Based Solar Work
  • Solaren and other small companies that have made big Space Solar promises
  • Space Island Group, Orbital Power Corp
  • National Space Society tracks Space Solar Power Developments
Comment:

It may be useful to start small and ramp it up if you can make it work.  Let's say you want to power something the size of the ISS, which uses about a quarter Megawatt of power.  That something could be a VASIMR.  Put four or more of these in geosynchoronous orbit and beam the power down to an orbiting VASIMR in order to allow it to get to various places in LEO or to a higher orbit.

Ultimately, you could have solar power device manufacturing on the moon and launch it from the moon.  The moon requires much less energy to get out the gravity well.  In addition to that, there's no atmosphere to contend with.

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