How Japan Plans To Build Orbital Solar Power Stations

the_newsbeagle (2532562) writes "Solar power stations in orbit aren't exactly a new idea — Asimov set one of his stories on such a space station back in 1941. Everyone thinks it's a cool idea to collect solar power 24 hours a day and beam it down to Earth. But what with the expense and difficulty of rocketing up the parts and constructing and operating the stations in orbit, nobody's built one yet. While you probably still shouldn't hold your breath, it's interesting to learn that Japan's space agency has spec'd out such a solar power station."

Comments

If you're just beaming it down to earth anyways

[mark-t]

why not just collect it from the ground in the first place?

What's going to make collecting energy on the ground from a satellite more efficient than collecting it from the sun?

Not going to happen

[Maury Markowitz]

The numbers don't work. Period.

http://matter2energy.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/the-maury-equation-redux/

SimCity 2000?

[VorpalRodent]

If there's anything I've learned from video games, it's that this is a bad idea.

Re:But what does an actual physicist think?

[Virtucon]

While I agree with your comments I do have to point out that it's nice to set goals and to think out of the box when it comes to new ideas. Back in the 1960s we had this President that set a goal for the US in reaching the Moon, which we did. People need goals and objectives to strive for otherwise they become hopeless derelicts like Cliven Bundy.