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From: karn@eagle.UUCP (Phil Karn)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Re: space elevators -- another advan - (nf)
Message-ID: <1136@eagle.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-Nov-83 17:13:59 EST
Article-I.D.: eagle.1136
Posted: Wed Nov  2 17:13:59 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Nov-83 04:27:24 EST
References: uiucdcs.3618
Lines: 17

If you think "energy in space is cheap", then I can't help what you may
personally be in orbit around (apologies to HGttG).

My experience with amateur satellite construction has driven home the
EXTREME COST of generating electrical power in space.  The solar array
contract has dominated the cost of every satellite we've made; the typical
cost for a 50 watt array is $50,000!!  (Admittedly you could do better
by using a three-axis stabilized array, but only by a factor of pi.)
Needless to say, this economic imperative pervades the entire
electronics design.

Perhaps things will improve in the future, but I just wanted to drive
home the wide gap between what people are proposing with the SPS and
current reality.

Phil Karn
AMSAT