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The classic example is RORSAT, Radar Ocean Reconnaissance. The Soviet Union built a bunch with nuclear reactors because they needed a lot of power but were als

• JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  > RORSAT, Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Radar was the only thing that came to my mind, too. (Didn't know about the project, though. Thanks!) Problem is earth observation, as a market, sucks. With low-latency optical imaging en route, I'm not sure what premium radar would command. > don't think powering a satellite from the ground makes much sense Microwave power transmission through atmosphere is terrible, and we're nowhere close with laser. The idea would be large arrays in a high orbit beaming to lower-orbit birds. That's the only proximate case where space-based solar power makes sense: space to space. The only place where having the panels where you need power doesn't make sense is in the atmosphere. I just can't think of anything you'd want to do there that requires that much power.
  • LarryMullins 4y ago
    > Problem is earth observation, as a market, sucks. With low-latency optical imaging en route, I'm not sure what premium radar would command. One advantage of radar is that sometimes you can see through things that aren't transparent to visible light. I don't know if it's true, but I've heard that modern SAR sats can see through petroleum storage tanks and some warehouse roofs, so they can collect data which may be valuable to traders. These modern sort of radar satellites are apparently fine with solar power, but maybe they'd be even better with more power.