Moon, Mars & other proposed space habitats in our solar system can receive the energy from space-based solar power
In regards to colonizing the solar system, space-based solar power will make Mars & the Moon habitable along with other proposed space habitats in our solar system.
Added Project Orion / Nuclear Pulse Propulsion to the list of unconventional launch options
The other low cost unconventional launch options involve substantial technological advances, I thought it worth adding a reference to Project Orion (nuclear populsion), as this came close to being built in the 1950s - a working model which used conventional explosives was successfully flown, and successful tests of engineering structures which could withstand a close proximity nuclear explosion were conducted. The Project Orion (nuclear propulsion) was finally abandoned due to the signing of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and growing concern about atmospheric Nuclear fallout -- Eric Worrall - 2013-08-06
Grammar
In the second paragraph there is a bit that says "none are economically viable". "None" is a singular term so it should read "none is economically viable". Call me a pedant!
Wiki Education assignment: Sustainable Futures
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 22 January 2024 and 10 May 2024. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Gandhi822 (article contribs). Peer reviewers: Keanu1277.
— Assignment last updated by Keanu1277 (talk) 03:45, 3 April 2024 (UTC)
40 x more power with SBSP (claim)
The 40x more power claim with SBSP is dubious. Earth capacity factors (according to the Wikipedia page) are between 10% to 30%, and the solar constant is 45% more. If we use the 10% capacity factor (an underestimate) and this ratio between solar constants, we get a ratio of 14 to one, and this is an overestimate of the true ratio. 76.205.174.217 (talk) 02:03, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
Power density issues?
I asked for a citation for the statement: "most designs propose beam energy densities that are not harmful if human beings were to be inadvertently exposed"
My calculations indicate that the average peak power density of about 1/2 watt per square metre — about 1% of the power density inside a microwave over — could not be met without human health impacts. Jan Steinman (talk) 19:39, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
- Yes I believe the text is wrong. What I have heard is that the level is safe for birds and airplanes flying through it, which is different from continuous exposure to an unprotected person. The wire grid is dense enough to block the radiation from animals/plants living under the antenna. The beam density is *not* why it is unlike fiction where the beam can be aimed, the difference is that the beam does not work if it is not pointing at the antenna, since it relies on a transmitter in the middle of the antenna to synchronize all the transmitters. Text should at least be changed to not say it is the density for why it does not work like in fiction. A cited source saying why the beam can't be re-aimed would be a further improvement. Spitzak (talk) 20:20, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
L5 society?
In first section. I'm pretty certain L5 members were aware that a system for beaming energy to earth was completely different from a space weapon. A space weapon could be powered by its own huge set of solar panels but I think it was assumed that for a very large one-time burst of energy a chemical reaction or an explosion would be much more practical. The reference is interesting and should be kept, but it mostly just says that the L5 people were interested in both solar power and orbiting weapons (as well as space colonies), but it is unclear if they thought the same satellite would be used for both. Spitzak (talk) 18:48, 24 March 2026 (UTC)
- the difference between "wireless power beaming to Earth" and a "death ray" is about a factor of 2.5x increase in the diameter of the space array, as mentioned in the Safety section. Directed energy from space (mainly for missile defense) is the main application of continued research for SBSP, although much of it is obviously classified. Historyminster (talk) 02:31, 28 March 2026 (UTC)