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From: Cate3.PA@XEROX.COM
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Are powersats impractical?
Message-ID: <861030-154349-1983@Xerox>
Date: Thu, 30-Oct-86 18:43:41 EST
Article-I.D.: Xerox.861030-154349-1983
Posted: Thu Oct 30 18:43:41 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 31-Oct-86 13:26:56 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: Cate3.PA@Xerox.COM
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 18

Paul Dietz <DIETZ%slb-test.csnet@relay.cs.net> writes: 
>There's an obvious solar power scheme that is, in many ways, superior
to
>conventional powersats.  It's the Soletta idea: place large numbers of
>mirrors in orbit to focus light onto ground based collectors.  
.
.
>Disadvantages: does not scale down well, light pressure must be
>compensated for, *lots* of mirrors are needed, atmospheric absorption
>(build in deserts), astronomy is ruined, local heating.  

     Another option might be to build up in mountains, or on the plains
in Wyoming or South Dakota.  This would help make the winters lots more
reasonable.  It may even be possible to grow crops year round on land
near the ground based collectors.
     
     Henry III
     cate3.pa@xerox.com