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by mecko23
1147 days ago
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Why in this case would it cause significant problems? Are you referring to the heating (that would make sense with such a large surface area of panels)?
Concerning cooling- with such short times in eclipse I can’t imagine that it would have enough time to have cooling issues beyond flexing of the superstructure (if made from metals). Be interested to hear though if I’m missing something. As to power disappearing with an adequately geographically integrated grid I don’t forsee that as really too much of a problem. Currently the grid deals with short term outs fairly well especially if they are planned for months in advance. |
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Lots of thin structure with 70 minutes to radiate, with the only thing shining on it the earth's albedo subtending a tiny angle. I'd imagine it creates rather significant demands on structure and electrical connections.
I've not run the numbers on a GEO solar spacecraft, but the smallsat group that I'm mentoring that would be "thicker" than a lot of the GEO craft... gets down to -30C without heaters during its 40 minutes in eclipse while much closer to Earth.
> As to power disappearing with an adequately geographically integrated grid I don’t forsee that as really too much of a problem. Currently the grid deals with short term outs fairly well especially if they are planned for months in advance.
Yup, that's the point I'm making. A space based solar power craft has smaller problems from eclipse than a typical comsat. Batteries, etc, are not nearly as much of a concern. It's mostly the thermals that are left.