--- In spacesettlers 11012, Combs, Mike wrote:
> One of the most impressive facts about the High Frontier
> concept is how much room there is out there for solar
> interception.
http://www.sspi.gatech.edu/aiaa-2009-0462_ssp_alternatives_potter.pdf
And here:
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/launch/980031_001.pdf
It may be getting a little crowded, not as crowded as LEO though,
however given the size of SSPS why not connect the satellites functions
up to the SSPS.
distance from the transmitter and rent them out. Stick an inflatable
boom out if you need to get further away from the transmitter. Use a
standard design for the mount point.
This would simplify satellite design, they would only have to build
whatever it's function is and it would be easy to access for
maintenance. They wouldn't have to worry about it running out of fuel to
keep it's position. They wouldn't have to worry about power, just set it
to use the standard power supply. It would provide another income
stream to the SSPS owner/builder and you wouldn't even have to wait
until the SSPS is complete to hook them up as the power requirements
would be minuscule compared to the array and would easily be able to be
supplied after a few components are initially hooked up.
Given that compared to SSPS components the satellites will be somewhat
smaller, if you were using the equivalent of a Big Dumb Booster to
launch the SSPS components you would probably have more than a few
launches where the satellites could be piggy backed onto the launch on
the cheap. I seriously doubt every single launch would be of sufficient
size or weight to completely fill the payload compartment and some
ballast will be needed, so why not make it paying ballast.
You possibly wouldn't even have to draw power from the main array, you
could use a heat exchanger to use waste heat in an area of low
efficiency to supply that power.
How much do you think Google (or others) would pay to put a few good
quality telescopic cameras up there looking down or up ? or a satellite
based internet service provider a transmitter/receiver, or a University
a radio telescope off the top end (with shielding), or weather bureaus a
big down looking radar etc. lots of possibilities if you can make it
simple enough and cheap enough for them.
Brett.
hitssquad wrote:
hitssquad wrote:
> > concept is how much room there is out there for solar
> > interception.
>
> GEO is already packed with satellites. At 6AM and 6PM local time, daily,
> they can potentially be shadowed by solar collection arrays.
I'm surprised nobody has called you on this yet. I guess it's my turn.
GEO has a radius of 42,164 km. That's a circumference of 264,924 km.
So each of those 295 commercial satellites you mention has about 898
km to itself (on average). That's more than the distance between
Philadelphia, PA, and Knoxville, TN.
Sheesh.
The satellites could be concentrated in certain regions. For instance the
American satellites would have to be in the vicinity of America. So it may
be necessary to divide your figure by say ten. That will bring the average
to say 90 Km. ??
On 06/03/2009, Joe Strout wrote:
Why not just tilt the arrays at different angles (unless they are all squares or circles) so at a time of shadowing they are only partially shadowed. even then how long are they shadowed and at what times of the year is this of concern - only on the 20th-21st of march and september perhaps.
levi1_ca wrote:
> squares or circles) so at a time of shadowing they are only partially
> shadowed. even then how long are they shadowed and at what times of the
> year is this of concern - only on the 20th-21st of march and september
> perhaps.
Because there is no shadowing. The alleged problem is nonsense, though
I'm a bit busy this week and haven't had a chance to show all the math yet.
Best,
- Joe
--- In spacesettlers 11215, sraj wrote:
> On 06/03/2009, Joe Strout wrote:
> > each of those 295 commercial satellites you mention has
> > about 898 km to itself (on average).
> The satellites could be concentrated in certain regions.
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/launch/980031_001.pdf