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and-justice-for-all Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-03-09 05:58 PM
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Space Solar Power Limitless clean energy from space
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http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp /

About Space Solar Power (SSP, also known as Space-Based Solar Power, or SBSP):

The United States and the world need to find new sources of clean energy. Space Solar Power gathers energy from sunlight in space and transmits it wirelessly to Earth. Space solar power can solve our energy and greenhouse gas emissions problems. Not just help, not just take a step in the right direction, but solve. Space solar power can provide large quantities of energy to each and every person on Earth with very little environmental impact.

The solar energy available in space is literally billions of times greater than we use today. The lifetime of the sun is an estimated 4-5 billion years, making space solar power a truly long-term energy solution. As Earth receives only one part in 2.3 billion of the Sun's output, space solar power is by far the largest potential energy source available, dwarfing all others combined. Solar energy is routinely used on nearly all spacecraft today. This technology on a larger scale, combined with already demonstrated wireless power transmission (see 2-minute video of demo), can supply nearly all the electrical needs of our planet.

Another need is to move away from fossil fuels for our transportation system. While electricity powers few vehicles today, hybrids will soon evolve into plug-in hybrids which can use electric energy from the grid. As batteries, super-capacitors, and fuel cells improve, the gasoline engine will gradually play a smaller and smaller role in transportation — but only if we can generate the enormous quantities of electrical energy we need. It doesn't help to remove fossil fuels from vehicles if you just turn around and use fossil fuels again to generate the electricity to power those vehicles. Space solar power can provide the needed clean power for any future electric transportation system.

While all viable energy options should be pursued with vigor, space solar power has a number of substantial advantages over other energy sources.

http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/
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  -Space Solar Power Limitless clean energy from space and-justice-for-all  Dec-03-09 05:58 PM   #0 
  - Wireless Transmission Is The Key  Beetwasher   Dec-03-09 06:04 PM   #1 
  - Correct n/t  gordianot   Dec-03-09 07:32 PM   #20 
  - Transmission is already possible. Microwave.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 09:48 AM   #29 
  - Pie-in-the-sky  RC   Dec-03-09 06:19 PM   #2 
  - Actually, I saw a Discovery program just on this problem alone.  berni_mccoy   Dec-04-09 09:57 AM   #33 
  - Microwave rectenna is about 85% efficient.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 10:12 AM   #34 
  - I think there is some worry  Johonny   Dec-04-09 10:38 AM   #37 
     - How? The output per square inch is less than sat TV signal.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 10:50 AM   #39 
        - wait  Johonny   Dec-04-09 11:01 AM   #40 
           - To an exact degree... no.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 11:09 AM   #43 
  - More like pie dish in the sky...  anigbrowl   Dec-04-09 12:57 PM   #48 
  - Something I've always wondered...  Ready4Change   Dec-03-09 06:19 PM   #3 
  - If they can solve the engineering problems  notesdev   Dec-03-09 06:30 PM   #6 
  - Yup  Beetwasher   Dec-03-09 06:36 PM   #10 
  - But we don't yet have an 'electric space drive.'  Ready4Change   Dec-03-09 06:48 PM   #16 
  - Since the earth orbits the sun the relative perturbation on the panels  jimlup   Dec-03-09 06:31 PM   #7 
  - It would have to be Geosynchronous orbit  Canuckistanian   Dec-03-09 06:34 PM   #9 
  - That can be put to good use -- in a "statite".  eppur_se_muova   Dec-04-09 12:04 AM   #22 
  - An array would be far too dense for solar wind to be a factor.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 09:55 AM   #32 
  - I really believe this can be done.  stevedeshazer   Dec-03-09 06:20 PM   #4 
  - it would be possible with a really, really, really, really, really, really long extension cord...  1   Dec-03-09 06:24 PM   #5 
  - Or a beam of microwave energy.  tridim   Dec-03-09 06:40 PM   #12 
  - Not economical  wuushew   Dec-03-09 06:33 PM   #8 
  - Baloney  Beetwasher   Dec-03-09 06:40 PM   #11 
  - Show me the math  wuushew   Dec-03-09 06:43 PM   #14 
  - You First  Beetwasher   Dec-03-09 06:51 PM   #17 
  - Space elevators aren't that far off either.  tridim   Dec-03-09 06:44 PM   #15 
     - The only thing we are waiting for on that, is the cable issue...  and-justice-for-all   Dec-04-09 02:39 AM   #24 
     - Besides all the space junk, then we'd have all but invisible cables to avoid  RC   Dec-04-09 06:11 AM   #27 
        - The "center of mass" point on the cable would have no sling effect  tridim   Dec-04-09 09:43 AM   #28 
  - Quite right  Canuckistanian   Dec-03-09 06:43 PM   #13 
  - people should really pay more attention to things like this  anarch   Dec-03-09 07:13 PM   #18 
  - Tesla worked out the transmission equipment long before satellites.  gordianot   Dec-03-09 07:31 PM   #19 
  - Wouldn't it be cheaper to build it in the desert?  eppur_se_muova   Dec-04-09 12:01 AM   #21 
  - Building in either location has it's problems  comrade snarky   Dec-04-09 03:03 AM   #25 
  - Worse still power output is dependent on peak sun (solar insolation) which is much lower.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 11:19 AM   #45 
  - Problem is people don't tend to live in desert.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 10:14 AM   #35 
     - people don't live in space either  Johonny   Dec-04-09 11:02 AM   #41 
        - But space is directly over every major city in the world  Statistical   Dec-04-09 11:13 AM   #44 
  - What are the long term maintenance cost projections on one?  TCJ70   Dec-04-09 12:08 AM   #23 
  - I doubt at this stage maintenance is considered.  Statistical   Dec-04-09 11:54 AM   #46 
  - Will the first such station be American? Japanese?  Ghost Dog   Dec-04-09 03:57 AM   #26 
  - I've wanted this to happen for so long.  Phoonzang   Dec-04-09 09:52 AM   #30 
  - awesome. K&R  Soylent Brice   Dec-04-09 09:53 AM   #31 
  - They could build a Dyson Sphere  Freddie Stubbs   Dec-04-09 10:18 AM   #36 
  - I Was Thinking the Very Same!  ProfessorGAC   Dec-04-09 10:39 AM   #38 
  - Beamed to the surface via microwaves to give us all cancer...  leeroysphitz   Dec-04-09 11:03 AM   #42 
  - What the hell? We're going to steal the sun's energy?  Dr. Strange   Dec-04-09 12:26 PM   #47 
  - It's already happening...  Gold Metal Flake   Dec-04-09 02:43 PM   #49 
  - Solaren Corp is a scam  wuushew   Dec-04-09 03:31 PM   #50 
     - That guys math is a scam  Statistical   Dec-05-09 11:13 AM   #52 
  - I hope it works and the transmission doesn't have any nasty side effects  Lorien   Dec-04-09 03:41 PM   #51 
 

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