| Popis: |
The primary difficulties with the dream of Space Solar Power (SSP) for Earth, are the extreme launch costs of solar power satellites to Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO), and the absence of an evolutionary path to SSP. This makes the cost‐to‐first‐power unacceptably high. This paper presents a 3‐stage approach to SSP, and lay out the problems and opportunities. The key idea is to use space assets initially for global transmission and distribution, rather than generation, establish the infrastructure, and then add space‐based power generation to a revenue‐generating power grid. In the first stage, a Space Power Grid is established with satellites 1,200 km above Earth, distributing earth‐generated beamed microwaves to other satellites and ground receivers. This boosts the earth‐based alternative power industry (wind and solar‐thermal) by providing transmission between any points on earth, and accommodating fluctuations in demand and supply. It also satisfies strategic needs for emergency power delivery. In S... |
