Actually the physics do work out, but the launch cost for the components was steep.finaltom wrote:This doesn't make much since, when the sun doesn't produce enough light in space, for a satellite to do this. The high intensity light is caused by an atmosphere.
According to Wikipedia the opposite is true.Space-based solar power (SBSP) is the concept of collecting solar power in outer space and distributing it to Earth. Potential advantages of collecting solar energy in space include a higher collection rate and a longer collection period due to the lack of a diffusing atmosphere, and the possibility of placing a solar collector in an orbiting location where there is no night. A considerable fraction of incoming solar energy (55–60%) is lost on its way through the Earth's atmosphere by the effects of reflection and absorption. Space-based solar power systems convert sunlight to microwaves outside the atmosphere, avoiding these losses, and the downtime due to the Earth's rotation, but at great cost due to the expense of launching material into orbit. SBSP is considered a form of sustainable or green energy, renewable energy, and is occasionally considered among climate engineering proposals. It is attractive to those seeking large-scale solutions to anthropogenic climate change or fossil fuel depletion (such as peak oil).
SBSP designs generally include the use of some manner of wireless power transmission and its concomitant conversion inefficiencies, as well as land use concerns for the necessary antenna stations to receive the energy at Earth's surface.
SBSP is being actively pursued by Japan, China, and Russia.
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The Most Dreadful Weapon
But like any other technical achievement the space mirror could also be employed for military purposes and, furthermore, it would be a most horrible weapon, far surpassing all previous weapons. It is well known that fairly significant temperatures can be generated by concentrating the sun's rays using a concave mirror (in a manner similar to using a so-called "burning glass"). Even when a mirror has only the size of the human hand, it is possible to ignite a handheld piece of paper or even wood shavings very simply in its focus (Figure 95).
Figure 95. Igniting a piece of wood using a concave mirror.
Key: 1. Sun's rays.
Imagine that the diameter of a mirror of this type is not just 10 cm, but rather several hundreds or even thousands of meters, as would be the case for a space mirror. Then, even steel would have to melt and refractory materials would hardly be able to withstand the heat over longer periods of time, if they were exposed to solar radiation of such an enormous concentration.
Now, if we visualize that the observer in the space station using his powerful telescope can see the entire combat area spread out before him like a giant plan showing even the smallest details, including the staging areas and the enemy's hinterland with all his access routes by land and sea, then we can envision what a tremendous weapon a space mirror of this type, controlled by the observer in orbit, would be!
It would be easy to detonate the enemy's munitions dumps, to ignite his war material storage area, to melt cannons, tank turrets, iron bridges, the tracks of important train stations, and similar metal objects. Moving trains, important war factories, entire industrial areas and large cities could be set ablaze. Marching troops or ones in camp would simply be charred when the beams of this concentrated solar light were passed over them. And nothing would be able to protect the enemy's ships from being destroyed or burned out, like bugs are exterminated in their hiding place with a torch, regardless of how powerful the ships may be, even if they sought refuge in the strongest sea fortifications.
They would really be death rays! And yet they are no different from this lifegiving radiation that we welcome everyday from the sun; only a little "too much of a good thing." However, all of these horrible things may never happen, because a power would hardly dare to start a war with a country that controls weapons of this dreadful nature.
