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I’ve been wondering for a while now whether there were any projects on the drawing board for Solar Power Satellites, (SPS) and today I came across a Japanese experiment set to launch on January 18, called the Furoshiki experiment. Furoshiki is a Japanese word for a cloth used to wrap up small possession. The experiment will test whether large structures can be constructed in space by having 3 satellites holding the corners of a Furoshiki 20m on each side, and having small robots crawl along and align themselves in order to transmit a signal.
ESA News Release can be found here:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMHVXVLWFE_index_0.html"
Along with some videos here:
http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/power/solar_power_satellites_furoshiki.htm"
And a pdf here:
http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/doc/Furoshiki%20IAF04%20Paper%20KayaMankinsSummerer.pdf"
Would anybody know how much solar power could be generated from a SPS? What size would be needed to have any impact at all on our energy needs?
ESA News Release can be found here:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMHVXVLWFE_index_0.html"
Along with some videos here:
http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/power/solar_power_satellites_furoshiki.htm"
And a pdf here:
http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/doc/Furoshiki%20IAF04%20Paper%20KayaMankinsSummerer.pdf"
Would anybody know how much solar power could be generated from a SPS? What size would be needed to have any impact at all on our energy needs?
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