April 25, 2005

AT LEAST NO ONE SAYS WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SUNLIGHT YET:

Bright Future for Solar Power Satellites (Leonard David, 17 October 2001, Space.com)

Two new studies looking at the feasibility of space-based solar power - orbiting satellites that would serve as high-tech space dams - suggest the concept shouldn't be readily dismissed and could generate both Earth-bound and space-based benefits.

These "powersats" would catch the flood of energy flowing from the Sun and then pump it to Earth via laser or microwave beam. On earth it would be converted to electricity and fed into power grids to be tapped by terrestrial customers.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 25, 2005 7:19 AM
Comments

That certainly brings back memories.

Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at April 25, 2005 1:31 PM

Nice shooting there, AOG:

Which raises the question, with all of our technological ingenuity, why pass things like the Kyoto accord? If you just have a little patience you'll gradually get the same effects without the social dislocation caused by doing things immediately.

Some people have short memories, I guess.

Posted by: joe shropshire at April 25, 2005 8:48 PM

Why be patient when national security is at stake?

Posted by: oj at April 25, 2005 9:00 PM

Try it once, just to confuse us.

Posted by: joe shropshire at April 25, 2005 11:03 PM

Power-sats are a "someday" no-brainer, but their time has not yet come.
First we need much better solar cells, and also a much cheaper ride to high orbit.

However, even now, a power-sat beaming a laser to a Mars-bound spaceship might be a very cost efficient way to get humans to Mars quickly.

Posted by: Rip Van Winkle at April 26, 2005 2:16 AM
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