Briefs: HDTV of the Moon; More space solar power talk [Update]; Norton Sales tour

Though only available in a small window, this HDTV video of the Moon taken by the Kaguya probe looks very sharp. (Item via Leonard David.)
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Space solar power discussions:
* Brief Thought: Space Solar Power - Selenian Boondocks
* Zero Divided By Zero = Space Solar Power - Transterrestrial (Sam Dinkins) - Oct.22.07
* Is space solar power closer than we think? - vnunet.com

[Update: A search on "Kevin Reed", who is mentioned in the latter article regarding a new SSP consortium, brings up a number of items about SSP and thin film solar PVs. E.g. here is a presentation by him called Market Potential of CP1/a-Si:H Thin Film Solar Cells for Space and HAA Applications (pdf):

One Gigawatt of CP1/a-Si Thin Film would weigh 235,000 kg and would have an area of 12.0 square kilometers. Each square kilometer of CP1/a-Si Thin Film Solar Array would weigh 29,000 kg or roughly equal to one payload mission for Space Shuttle.

]
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Take a photo tour of the Norton Sales aerospace surplus store in North Hollywood: Gallery: Rocket Junkyard Fuels Private Space Ventures, Lowriders - Wired - Nov.7.07

Posted 11/07/07 | 10:26:24 by TopSpacer | Filed under: General

Comments

thin film solar cells are cheap and light but (so far) they have a low efficiency, so, their energy is cost-effective only if deployed on earth, not in space, since, the price of the spaceflights to carry and assemble that panels in space, multiplies the costs of investments (then the price of the energy) by 2-3 orders of magnitude

Posted by gm at 11/07/07 14:07:00

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this is my comment posted on Selenian Boondocks...

the solar power is the most craziest of all craziest ideas I've read so far!!!

first of all, the ONLY vehicle (the Shuttle) able to carry and assemble these big solar panels will be retired within three years and a new Shuttle will not flow until 20+ years

second, also assuming the Shuttle will still fly in the next decades, we MUST add $3.2 billion of annual fixed costs to the price of the solar power stations (then, to the price of its energy)

third, we must add the price of several launches for panels' maintenance (the ISS panels' problem multiplied thousands times...)

last but not least, the price of a solar panel carried and deployed in space (with a Shuttle-like or Orion-like vehicle) will NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER be "less" than carry it with a truck in a desert and deploy with spacesuitless workers!

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Posted by gm at 11/07/07 16:43:05

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just add that, ALL these (vital) solar power plants, could be VERY EASY to destroj from earth (with an high power Laser) IN A FEW HOURS by a (commercial or military) enemy

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Posted by gm at 11/07/07 16:48:58

That would matter if the shuttle represents the be-all and end-all of space transportation.

It doesn't.

Some people think they can do better.

Others make websites devoted to keeping track of their efforts.

Like "Space Transport News."

Posted by Phil Fraering at 11/07/07 21:52:37

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a brief comment only to say that:

1. you can't find the same comments on Selenian Boondocks since Jon Goff has deleted/censored them... yes, he can do what he wants on his blog... but the Solar Power Plants can't become a good business if some bloggers HIDE the TRUTH about its STELLAR costs!

2. (to Phil) the problem is not the Shuttle since ALL kind of spacecraft has (and will have) costs in the range of THOUSANDS TIMES the price of a terrestrial truck

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Posted by gm at 11/08/07 04:08:04

Here is a direct link to that flash movie from Kaguya, though not that sharp:

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/20...

BM

Posted by Bartosz Malinowski at 11/08/07 05:33:44

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