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From: BollenG.ES@PARC-MAXC.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Space Solar Power- -Cheap Stuff.
Message-ID: <13493@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 9-Nov-83 18:37:00 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.13493
Posted: Wed Nov  9 18:37:00 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 13-Nov-83 04:47:48 EST
Lines: 15

Regarding Phil Karn's comment about the Extreme Cost of solar power
generation:
Solar Arrays for sattellites are constrained by both size, and mass,
which a PowerSat would not have.  PowerSats could use much cheaper
technology to produce power, specifically, heat engines.  In the
orbittal vacuum, a shadowed area would radiate the heat absorbed on the
sunward side of a barrier.  This barrier could be extremely thin, as
long as it remains opaque.  This simple heat -cool cycle could very
efficiently run a conventional turbine, and from there we go to our
microwave transmitter.  Such a structure could be built cheaply with
lunar material, once we get out into space.
No carefully processed Si is required, so it shouldn't cost $1,000 per
watt.  The technology is simple, so design and construction should be
simple.  The cost of the array should not be the determining factor in
analysing the feasibility of Space Solar Power.