The REAL obstacle to SPSS

>Behalf Of Fred
>
> The real obstacle to building solar power satellite systems is
> diplomatic, and international. Any solar power satellite system
>that
> can deliver power reliably to the ground can also deliver power
> reliably to a "target", i.e. it can be used as a weapon.
>
>Please do not repeat this oft-repeated but thoroughly-wrong canard. The
>microwave beam from an SPS would have zero usefulness as a weapon. For
>one thing, the power density per unit area is far too low (at or below
>the level of sunlight). For another, as a weapon it would be one
>requiring the active cooperation of the target. (I'm referring to the
>rectenna pilot beam, which is the only thing that makes the phased-array
>transmission possible.)

Are you sure? Doesnt have an SPS large arrays of solar cells to
produce power?

With that kind of power available wouldnt it be easy to power a laser
unit instead of the microwave part of the SPS with it?
You dont have to use the power only for the rectenna.

A laser unit shouldnt be very big I think.

All what you need is a power cable from the SPS to the laser unit.

That kind of weapon would strike with light speed - you wouldnt even
see it come.

The only solution I could see here would be to operate those kind of
craft through an organization which has the monopoly to use it in
space while countries/nations wouldnt be allowed to do so. Kind of UN
or so.

Frank