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Dec 6, 2007

Aerospaceplanes and space solar power

Posted by in categories: habitats, space


Supplying a substantial percentage of America’s future electrical power supply from space using SBSP (space-based solar power) systems can only be expressed as a giant leap forward in space operations. Each of the hundreds of solar power satellites needed would require 10,000–20,000 tons of components transported to orbit, assembled in orbit, and then moved to geostationary orbit for operations. The scale of logistics operations required is substantially greater than what we have previously undertaken. Periodically, industrial operations experience revolutions in technology and operations. Deep sea oil exploration is an example. Within a couple decades, entirely new industrial operations can start and grow to significant levels of production. The same will happen with space industrialization when—not if—the right product or service is undertaken. SBSP may be the breakthrough product for leading the industrialization of space. This was our assumption in conducting the study. As the cost of oil approaches $100 a barrel, combined with the possibility of the world reaching peak oil production in the near future, this may turn out to be a valid assumption.

Source: The Space Review

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  1. robomoon says:

    Solar satellites best! Too many windmills and solar generators anywhere. Remaining free places in the ocean are needed for the building of swimming nuclear power plants. Offshore areas are too small. No space for floating windmill/solar hybrid energy platforms somewhere, because the oceans are overcrowded with fishes, seabirds and ships. 6 oceans spilled over with things. People walk over all the stuff swimming around, if not, they’re on the 7th ocean. Only uranium will give your investments big returns, because oil-peak lowers the Dollar once more and it’s the leading currency! Orbit space is the only available space left. Four reasons: 1. On the ground it’s often night and moonlight no good for solar panels. 2. No wind during many days. 3. During windy days, the rotors of windmills kill the seabirds. 4. Too many long electric cables required for floating windmill/solar hybrid energy platforms in deep water, because hydrogen can’t be created from that little amount of sea water available. Biggest problem: Overpopulation of less intelligent species on the ground where me other proletarians are already infected with of anti-brain nano-robots. Vaccination anyone?

  2. robomoon says:

    Without power, no Singularity (Ref.: SCADA (in)Security’s Going to Cost Us http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=95). Space rockets and shuttles need many tons of liquid hydrogen for their engines. Most of hydrogen in the industry is made via steam methane reforming. Realize, a product next to feces (Ref.: Social Software Society for Safety http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=106) that we produce is manure. So you could use our natural mass product (Ref.: Power The Future, Through Cow Manure? http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=88) to create hydrogen and everyone who can’t stop drinking can help to achieve Singularity with it. Not me, I’m only drunk during weekends. It’s going to be a three stage process: 1st stage, create methane from our manure and reform it to hydrogen. 2nd stage, blast space shuttles with most of the hydrogen available on earth to space and use solar power in the orbit for communications satellites. During the 3rd stage we got a desert where to live and a heaven where to go. And more satellites and more satellite power must be applied to show us religion (Ref.: ETC Group: Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration http://lifeboat.com/blog/?p=101). So when the first drinker starts shouting “where is my booze?!” and no other one joins the chorus, we get ad astra, a singular moon!