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Innovative new developments with ultra-high intensity micro-scale LED's make possible beamed orbital propulsion and space-based solar power:
Beamed propulsion doable now, and with it space solar power.
https://exoscientist.blogspot.com/2018/ … -with.html
Bob Clark
Old Space rule of acquisition (with a nod to Star Trek - the Next Generation):
“Anything worth doing is worth doing for a billion dollars.”
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Beamed power comes in 2 forms reflected concentrated tracked solar or light source and rf emitted or transimited to a target where it is recieved. We know that there are risks to each application.
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RGClark,
I'm going to dig into what they're proposing, but thanks for posting this. I'm of the opinion that this is the only realistic way that we're going to dramatically reduce launch costs. I wonder how much simpler the problem would become if we use a Falcon 9 booster to push the upper stage outside of the atmosphere, whereupon the LH2-fueled upper stage and heat exchanger is accelerated to orbital velocity from a ground station downrange. I think StratoLaunch is a good way to test this concept using smaller solid boosters. The launch abort options from 40Kft are much better than the abort options from a ground start.
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The issues of beamed energy in any form we have talked about since there is a chance that something will enter the beam that does not belong there, that the beam will not hit its actual target location are some of what we have looked at.
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