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iNstein t1_ixtalob wrote

Reply to comment by MaybeTheDoctor in Solar farms in space demo could be ready by 2030 by Soupjoe5

That is what they are trying to figure out. No clouds, optimal alignment, no atmosphere and potentially generating power at night might change the equations. Time to find out.

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TotallyInOverMyHead t1_ixyozu7 wrote

AND: Micro asteroids /debris, no servicing, All eggs -> one Basket (if it gets a microasteroid hit in the right place, your giant sattelite is done for, vs. you replacing that particular solar pannel on earth).

Also, and i might be mistaken on this, given my HS level physiks skills were not that good back then, but being hit by a tightbeam of RF Radiation in 2-3 GW-Range surely must be a lifealtering event.

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ItsAConspiracy t1_ixyr14u wrote

Current designs would be redundant, with a large number of identical parts, of several types, self-assembled in orbit.

The satellite would be 22,000 miles out and incapable of sending a beam that tight. As the article mentions, the beam would be less concentrated than sunlight.

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TotallyInOverMyHead t1_ixz0uev wrote

Might you then not just be better off sending mirrors into space and making earth-based PV-cells generate power 24/7/365 ?

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ItsAConspiracy t1_ixz50pa wrote

That way you're still blocked by clouds. Also I'm not sure whether it's as feasible from geostationary.

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