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Space-based solar power will always be a non-starter because anything that can beam 1 GW from space is indistinguishable from a space-based direct energy weapon
by credit_guy 4y ago
Space-based solar power will always be a non-starter because anything that can beam 1 GW from space is indistinguishable from a space-based direct energy weapon.
- pydry 4y agoThat sounds like the opposite of a non starter. If it's 20-50% more expensive than a ground based alternative Im pretty sure the military would happily cover the difference if it made for a good weapon.
- credit_guy 4y agoYes, but space is shared. You can't just put anything you want in space. You preclear all the space launches, else the other nuclear powers might take your launch for an ICBM launch. If you put a giant laser fryer in orbit, you can expect China to be very unhappy. For example, they could see that any ship they plan to send to invade Taiwan could be fried. Who cares what China thinks, you say? Well, they can put nuclear weapons in orbit, what are you going to do about that? Superpowers don't like to gratuitously start the escalation game, if they can help it.
- __MatrixMan__ 4y agoI think the cost goes up in ways not yet accounted for if it has to tolerate attempts by the enemy to destroy it.
- IshKebab 4y agoThat's not why it will be a non-starter. It's a non-starter because the costs of just transporting solar panels to space will always be higher than the costs of the panels. Way higher. And that's before you worry about transmitting the power to the ground. This is just another solar roadway. What a waste of time.