Describe a beamed power solution. ( Digest Number 135)

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>That puts us at 50.8% efficiency... instead of 38.5% for the relay...
>
>Tom M.
>TomM@...

[snip]

A reflector is going to act like a solar sail. Station keeping due
to momentum transfer will have to be calculated. The relay should
have the same problem. I don't know if the momentum transfer would
be signficant.

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Well yes, if 100%-50.8% = 49.2% of the microwave is converted to momentum that is significant. But it is a lot easier to deal with momentum than to dissipate all that as waste heat. For momentum we need a propulsion system, electric propulsion should work fine, needs very little propellant.