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FT: How to make space-based solar power a reality
- bthallplz 3y agohttps://archive.ph/XELrJ https://archive.ph/XELrJ
- thelastgallon 3y agoExcerpt: In 2020 the UK government commissioned a study on the economic and technological feasibility of space solar power. The study concluded that the total cost to develop and deploy the first 2GW space-based solar power station would be roughly £16bn — substantially less than the latest £33bn estimate for Britain’s newest nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, which is set to produce 3.2GW. Once the first solar station was up and running, subsequent power generating satellites would cost less than £4bn each, the study estimated.
- IshKebab 3y agoBullshit. This is comparing a real price for a real power station (after inevitable cost overruns) with a made up number by a company looking for investors for a project that has never been done before. I looked it up and they are proposing a 2000 tonne satellite at geostationary orbit. That's already over $20bn just in launch costs even with SpaceX.
- simne 3y agoIt could become reality, IF most weight parts will be done in space from space materials. Or if use some not existent now very cheap system to deliver payloads, like catapults or centrifugal accelerators. If make all at Earth and deliver by rockets, economy will be somewhere like build solar power station in Antarctica.