--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Joe Strout wrote:
> On 3/30/13 12:21 AM, hitssquad wrote:
> > > by using laser transmission rather than microwave.
> > That might work well for powering the Big Island of Hawaii, if the receiver could be placed on a high mountaintop.
> lots of options before SPS... terrestrial solar

One of the advantages of laser SPS is that it can be combined with terrestrial solar. Simply use the same terrestrial solar panels to receive both. The laser SPS fills in the gaps at night.

That also allows the SPS system to use a passive solid-state solar array that is permanently parked stationary with respect to the earth. It would only provide maximum power at local 6AM and local 6PM. It would provide zero power at local noon and local midnight. However, adding a small single-sided crossbar of solar panels could also allow power production at midnight.

One advantage of a passive, geo-fixed-prientation system like this is that it largely avoids the tidal-force problem that plagues typical SPS proposals.

On Mar 30, 2013, at 11:36 AM, hitssquad wrote:

> One advantage of a passive, geo-fixed-prientation system like this is that it largely avoids the tidal-force problem that plagues typical SPS proposals.

Could you explain the 'tidal-force problem'?