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AtheistCrusader

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131. I think the servicable lifespan of those panels might be a tad longer.

Fri Nov 29, 2013, 06:42 PM

Nov 2013

Also, they can be thinner, lighter, less material. little in the way of elements to stand up to, and little in the way of gravity to resist. Imagine a panel produced 1/10th the thickness of current panels.

Most of the necessary materials are clearly available in the moon. They can be mined, refined, and manufactured on-site. Mostly automated.

The serviceable lifespan would be longer as well, just due to the sheer starting point of efficiency, having it in full, nearly unobstructed atmosphere. (dust and only a VERY thin atmosphere to deal with.)

Handling BIG impacts might be a problem, I suppose. lots of dust across a lot of panels.

I would distribute the mining, refining, and production facilities, so distance from production to installation is minimized.

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Solar belt around the moon planned by Japanese engineers [View all] Judi Lynn Nov 2013 OP

Yeah, like beaming massive amounts of energy down on the earth, controlled by one nation, is a good MADem Nov 2013 #1

Um, that is not what Shimizu's plan is about Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #26

....they very clearly state (in Japanese) ... MADem Nov 2013 #33

Here you go Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #40

OK--it IS "dreams," proposals, concepts. There are no plans--this is just an idea barn. MADem Nov 2013 #43

The English version leaves out some things from the Japanese version Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #50

Art, this is a pipe dream. I don't see this happening in our lifetimes, or even in the lifetimes MADem Nov 2013 #51

"Fanfun" is referring to taking questions from fans of JAXA Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #59

If people want to amuse themselves with this, no harm. MADem Nov 2013 #60

I am all for green energy Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #63

I know they are working on solar roofs that aren't "panels"--the solar tech is embedded in the MADem Nov 2013 #64

Whoever masters this technology and uses it, that country will be the Saudi Arabia of the 21st cent. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #84

Well, we'd need to shift our world paradigm from confrontation to cooperation. MADem Nov 2013 #87

Dude/dudette...you can't fry anything, not with the tech that would be used. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #88

Hey, my microwave oven can be set to defrost, or it can pop corn. MADem Nov 2013 #89

I understand it would make a great James Bond film, but in real life; Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #92

People get fooled all the time. MADem Nov 2013 #94

Yep I know all about Glomar, very cool projet. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #95

Never mind a shroud of secrecy...you have to think like a screenwriter! MADem Nov 2013 #98

:) Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #111

A solar belt around the Moon? RC Nov 2013 #114

I agree, I have always thought geosynchronous orbital powersats are more realistic. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #116

Several experiments show Microwave transmission is quite feasible Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #150

"rather than ruining a huge chunk of the moon" EX500rider Nov 2013 #156

When they put the new Hilton Hotel up there, and people start playing Moon Polo up there, MADem Nov 2013 #157

We have "dreams" of our own, too! sofa king Nov 2013 #159

We'd be in the Stone Age with that kind forward thinking WowSeriously Nov 2013 #44

Simcity is not a documentary. (nt) Posteritatis Nov 2013 #70

Isn't that nice! nt MADem Nov 2013 #78

Sounds like a joke wercal Nov 2013 #2

Sounds like a future war. pnwest Nov 2013 #3

bingo demwing Nov 2013 #69

Not really MyNameGoesHere Nov 2013 #4

If its not a joke, its pure quackery wercal Nov 2013 #9

man will never fly! SoLeftIAmRight Nov 2013 #14

Over the last 150 years, we have collectively paved 60k square miles of the US wercal Nov 2013 #21

Your objection is ridiculous. 1.8 million square miles? Orrex Nov 2013 #22

You should have told me earlier... wercal Nov 2013 #25

Goddamnit Orrex AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #38

Keyboard or monitor? Angleae Nov 2013 #56

Pants. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #58

It is quite serious Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #15

They might really be 'researching' this, wercal Nov 2013 #20

I am sure scientist won't launch things into space MyNameGoesHere Nov 2013 #16

Being realistic isn't being a defeatist wercal Nov 2013 #18

Well MyNameGoesHere Nov 2013 #36

As much as I hate to say this mindwalker_i Nov 2013 #47

Non-trivial, but significantly less problematic than building them on earth. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #54

you would build them in orbit out of asteroid mined materials. Sirveri Nov 2013 #153

Amazing Americans made it to the moon with this defeatist attitude. WowSeriously Nov 2013 #45

You wouldn't build them on earth. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #53

Wait a minute... wercal Nov 2013 #73

Believe in it? AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #93

Trust me, its not technically feasible wercal Nov 2013 #106

Actually..... jeff47 Nov 2013 #119

Ok, I went a bridge too far with the crop dusting wercal Nov 2013 #128

I think the servicable lifespan of those panels might be a tad longer. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #131

An article about moon dust wercal Nov 2013 #133

I didn't look to see if there might be any filter-capable materials, but AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #135

I'm not sure you're comprehending the scale wercal Nov 2013 #154

Quite so. Laelth Nov 2013 #76

But setting up a web site... reACTIONary Nov 2013 #81

You've no idea what you're talking about. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #86

It would be a big deal, and the technology doesn't really exist yet muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #96

The hydrogen already bonded to moon soil solves the water problem. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #97

And the machinery to extract that hydrogen will have to be transported up there muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #104

Totally Incorrect. Three tonnes of rock are needed to produce each tonne of oxygen Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #109

We both said *hydrogen*, not oxygen muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #115

Sigh....Here Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #118

'sigh' - that's about carrying hydrogen to the moon, and then using it in a cycle muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #122

You can do that either way. Process rocks or do the ice. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #124

At least read the paper you linked to before you claim to know what it says muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #127

Your one to talk Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #130

Tiny amounts....Hmm I wonder what a ton of O2 broken down to H weighs.... Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #121

Unless you've become an alchemist, a ton of O2 broken down produces zero hydrogen muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #123

I was thinking of the ice, not O2 as I typed. As for your 2.3kw and Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #126

Thermoelectric reactors have been to the moon and beyond. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #134

Sending enough solar panels for a smelter is still quite a weight muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #143

The Irony is Strong With This One wercal Nov 2013 #99

Wow...I am certainly glad we have you to tell us all about this. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #101

Here's a link to where I explain how this is impossible wercal Nov 2013 #107

Oh I would never disagree with you. Your the obivous guru right? Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #110

Now hold on there partner wercal Nov 2013 #113

Sorry again refer to what i just said. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #120

So you can't back up your statement wercal Nov 2013 #125

See 120 Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #132

I'll take that as an admission you were wrong wercal Nov 2013 #137

You can pretend that, that fine. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #139

Projection. Get help for that. wercal Nov 2013 #144

Projection, lol I wondered if that would be your response Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #145

Admission of the problem wercal Nov 2013 #146

Wow..just to funny! Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #147

Things will get better for you. wercal Nov 2013 #148

lol, gets popcorn Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #149

Take a day, re-read the thread wercal Nov 2013 #151

....Lol Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #152

Simon and Garfunkel wercal Nov 2013 #117

Actually, it is easy to set up a nuclear reactor on the moon. jeff47 Nov 2013 #103

No, they sent a radio-isotope powered vehicle muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #105

I've got a hunch that the Soviet reactors weren't quite big enough to power this scheme. wercal Nov 2013 #108

I had an astronomy professor/NASA consultant who had a similar plan DisgustipatedinCA Nov 2013 #90

Run a search on "powersat" JHB Nov 2013 #41

has the donco Nov 2013 #5

$10,000 per pound to launch Earth-orbit materials NickB79 Nov 2013 #6

They will build a robotic run factory on the moon. itsrobert Nov 2013 #11

And then, they'll zap any city that doesn't bow to their demands!!! MADem Nov 2013 #37

How's your horse and buggy, fella? WowSeriously Nov 2013 #46

We'll see how soon they're "beaming it down, Scotty" from the doggone moon. MADem Nov 2013 #67

Does it bother you that other countries dare to dream? WowSeriously Nov 2013 #91

Potentially feasible given the chemical composition of the moon. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #48

Of course, nothing could possibly go wrong with such an exquisitely simple plan. WheelWalker Nov 2013 #7

This would be a monumental engineering job... Agnosticsherbet Nov 2013 #8

I hope that they go at night, when the moon is out Orrex Nov 2013 #10

Hopefully they do it during the full moon too! Lucky Luciano Nov 2013 #12

You fool! That's the worst time! Orrex Nov 2013 #13

Maybe they should... discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #19

Winner! wercal Nov 2013 #23

The only tricky part is... discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #24

I think the winter solstice gives them the most time wercal Nov 2013 #29

During June they could... discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #31

Well I guess the sun is alot hotter in June. wercal Nov 2013 #35

Not in the Southern hemisphere discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #42

Finally, a voice of reason! Orrex Nov 2013 #27

I've been accused of many things... discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #32

!!!!! DeSwiss Nov 2013 #62

I think the best way would be defacto7 Nov 2013 #39

They should attach a really long rope to the moon mindwalker_i Nov 2013 #57

Wine? It sounds like something... reACTIONary Nov 2013 #82

teeeheee... I giggled. penultimate Nov 2013 #79

So who owns the surface of the moon? BlueStreak Nov 2013 #17

K&R. Sounds a lot better than fracturing all the shale and pumping toxic chemicals into the ground Overseas Nov 2013 #28

One question.... defacto7 Nov 2013 #30

Well, if you put it on the moon, it'll get eclipsed from time to time. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #49

Becasue they would make them from moon rock muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #68

Because the company... reACTIONary Nov 2013 #83

13,000 terawatts of microwaves beamed at our atmosphere? Yike. tinrobot Nov 2013 #34

We won't have to cook poultry any longer for Thanksgiving NickB79 Nov 2013 #65

They can't take care of Fukushima Politicalboi Nov 2013 #52

maybe that's why they are trying this JI7 Nov 2013 #61

The company in the article was responsible for Fukushima? Posteritatis Nov 2013 #71

If Fukushima continues to spew radioactivity upon the planet....... DeSwiss Nov 2013 #55

People really love their sci-fi, don't they? NickB79 Nov 2013 #66

That'd get the Middle East off the hook . . . ConcernedCanuk Nov 2013 #72

More Global Warming bucolic_frolic Nov 2013 #74

I very much hope this works. n/t Laelth Nov 2013 #75

Suppose this (or some other approach(es)) succeeded and we actually had unlimited energy MikeDuffy Nov 2013 #77

It would solve an awful lot of them muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #80

Thanks! We always need to be optimistic, but MikeDuffy Nov 2013 #100

Thanks for raising an important point. Ace Acme Nov 2013 #140

at first i laughed, but upon further review--wouldn't that be cool dembotoz Nov 2013 #85

Lets see. Meteors. Asteroids. Space debris. No. It's not likely a solar belt would be Lint Head Nov 2013 #102

And another "all Japanese people are Fukushima engineers" poster! Posteritatis Nov 2013 #129

Are you calling me a bigot or a racist? I am not referring to "all" Japanese people. Lint Head Nov 2013 #136

The concept is basically Dr. David Criswell's Lunar Solar Power proposal from the 1980s LongTomH Nov 2013 #112

If they use microwaves, wouldn't that heat the water vapour in the atmosphere? OnlinePoker Nov 2013 #138

Good question. Or create ozone? nt Ace Acme Nov 2013 #141

Use a frequency which isn't absorbed by the atmosphere bananas Nov 2013 #155

1,000 times the energy currently used? Incitatus Nov 2013 #142

Self promoting junk Socialistlemur Nov 2013 #158

They have overlooked one major cost factor: grantcart Dec 2013 #160