3 ms·
> "Realistically, any form of power generation could be used in space. It's really only a question of whether it's financially and practically feasible." Are y
by john_b 11y ago
> "Realistically, any form of power generation could be used in space. It's really only a question of whether it's financially and practically feasible."
Are you referring only to nuclear power sources? Because a literal reading of your comment ("any form of power generation") is obviously silly (e.g. steam power). And questions of financial and practical feasibility are two of the most important considerations for nuclear power systems, so one shouldn't dismiss those concerns so easily.
- tomswartz07 11y agoYes, good point. That's what I meant.
- Retric 11y agoClosed loop steam power is actually not that unreasonable in space. Concentrated solar cells have been considered for a range of space operations. They generate a lot of waste heat, which opens the way for a range of heat engines. Currently, non concentrated solar is a clear winner but serious effort went into studying combined systems. Long term several space mining concepts involve using concentrated sunlight to heat and refine asteroids. This would tend to make quite a bit of waste heat and steam power is one method to utilize that waste heat.