Thermal Power Satellites And related topics Lyncean Group presentation May 13, 2005

1. Keith Henson, Founder, L5 Society Hkeithhenson@gmail.com Thermal Power SatellitesAnd related topicsLyncean Group presentationMay 13, 2005

2. Three Cent per kWh Power From Space by 2023Progress over the last year with Skylon and microwave beamed energy propulsion to reduce power satellite cost

3. Synthetic Oil CostOne cent/kWh, $30/bbl synthetic oil, $1/gallon gasoline, At two cents cent, $50/bbl oil, $1.67/gallon, 3 cents, $70/bbl oil and $2.33/gallon

4. "amateurs discuss tactics,.... Professional soldiers study logistics." - Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising

6. Why this old project is so hard to understand Economics, Chemistry, Electro chemistry, "Rocket science," The rocket equation, Orbital mechanics, Thermodynamics, Military, Politics, Microwave optics, Laser optics, Geography, Geometry, Skylon (rocket plane), Atmospheric damage effects (NOx), In-space operations and assembly, plus.

7. How Japan Plans to Build an Orbital Solar Farm IEEE Spectrum, May 2014 JAXA wants to make the sci-fi idea of space-based solar power a reality By Susumu Sasaki

8. Long run target cost is to undercut coal, 3 cents per kWh to undercut coal (2 cents for the oil market)

9. Synthetic Oil from electricityHydrogen in a bbl of oil takes ~20 MWh. At one cent, $20, at two cents, $40. Capital $10/bbl

10. For low maintenance & zero fuel cost, the Levelized Cost of Electricity is capital cost/80,000 That is $1600/kW for the target of two cents, 40% of fission plants

11. $1600/kW is $200/kW for the rectenna, $900/kw for the power satellite parts. That leaves $500/kw for transport.

12. At 5kg/kW, that’s $100/kg about a 100 to 1 reduction over current cost to haul comm sats to GEO.

13. But that’s to GEO, not LEO where cost are usually quoted.

14. You cannot build in LEO and fly a power satellite out to GEO on it’s own power, there is too much space junk and takes too long. (Boeing, 1970s)

15. LEO to GEO transport needs more kW/m2 than sunlight Laser, ~10 MW/m2 5.5 hrs. Microwave ~10kWm2 28 days.

16. First to LEO

20. THE SABRE ENGINE

21. HEAT EXCHANGER

22. First SABRE Pre-cooler Module This was manufactured in 2004

23. SABRE Pre-cooler Demonstration

27. The Basic Idea • Build one power satellite the hard way. • Equip it with propulsion lasers • Bring up material to build hundreds using the first one. • Build more propulsion lasers as well. • Undercut/displace fossil fuels.

29. kg/kW for one meter of tube • 3 • 2.5 • 2 • 1.5 • 1 • 0.5 • 0 • 0 • 10 • 20 • 30 • 40 • 50 • 60 • Tube diameter meters The increasing mass is due to the heat transfer fluids (steam and water) inside the radiator tubes. A choice of 25 meters for the diameter of the radiator tubes and a length of 2700 meters provide the needed area and an L/D of ~100 to 1. It takes 40 tubes of this size to get the required area. Three GW spread over 40 tubes is 75 MW per tube. That sets the size of a 50% efficient laser group at 150 MW input with 75 MW laser power and 75 MW being waste heat. Four lasers combine to give 300 MW, and ten such groups would

30. The increasing mass is due to the heat transfer fluids (steam and water) inside the radiator tubes. A choice of 25 meters for the diameter of the radiator tubes and a length of 2700 meters providethe needed area and an L/D of ~100 to 1. It takes 40 tubes of this size to get the required area. Three GW spread over 40 tubes is 75 MW per tube. That sets the size of a 50% efficient laser group at 150 MW input with 75 MW laser power and 75 MW being waste heat. Four lasers combine to give 300 MW, and ten such groups would give 3 GW.

32. Skylon to LEO, 15,000 tons at a time from LEO to GEO on microwave power from the ground Alternative at lower TRL

37. Otherwise: Microwave propulsion for the first few (dozen?) power satellites and a propulsion laser in one of the best spots on GEO later.