Light sail SPS; Sun-Earth L1 (was Correcting my own math -- CORRECTED)

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Frank wrote:
> I would propose a combination of solar sailing and solar electric.

Keith Henson already addressed this proposal three years ago on the SSI list. See the archive links I just posted previously.

Henson concluded it couldn't work on the basis of the fact that the original problem is that sunlight pushes the powersats away from the sun. How is a solar sail supposed to stop that phenomenon, rather than simply exacerbate it?

I think a solar sail would be a good idea for a powersat located at Sun-Earth L1 -- in fact, I think it would be mandatory for that location, barring an infinite re-supply of station-keeping reaction-mass.

Sun-Earth L1 might also be the most practical location for SPS, since it wouldn't affect orbital traffic there, wouldn't be affected by tides there, and would have the advantage of greater flux density while not being too far from Earth satellites to laser-beam power to them.