Asteroid Mining

[a completely inoffensive name]

Admittedly, the economics of the "reusable container" would be solved by the Space Elevator, which isn't currently in able to be created (we need stronger cord) but once that is done, then the issues of sending things up and re-entry would be "solved".

You still have to deal with the energy usage issue.

[lars573]

Plasma rockets. Or as they're called on Star Trek, impulse engines.

[gaelic cowboy]

You still have to deal with the energy usage issue.

Never know seeing as it's reaching into orbit it might be able to power itself with some solar power

[Centurion1]

Could possibly use electro magnetic kinetic launchers when the technology advances further

[a completely inoffensive name]

Never know seeing as it's reaching into orbit it might be able to power itself with some solar power

Solar power is too inefficient at this point in time.

[Vladimir]

Solar power is too inefficient at this point in time.

I saw a while ago that the Dutch were working on a solar collector that collects energy from all visible wavelengths. Once that's done it will be a major breakthrough.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I saw a while ago that the Dutch were working on a solar collector that collects energy from all visible wavelengths. Once that's done it will be a major breakthrough.

There is already a solar collector that collects energy from all visible wavelengths.



It's not all that much more economical than other methods of energy generation. If you are talking about photo voltaic cells then you got some problems. I am not an expert in the technology, but my understanding of it is that if you want a wider range of wavelengths to be absorbed you are going to need compounds that either absorb wider ranges or you are going to need multiple different compounds to each be turning the photons into excited electrons.

Obviously this problem is evident if we are talking about a world where the rare earths are held hostage by china. Also, it says nothing of its economics simply by being able to absorb the spectrum. What will matter is how efficiently it will do the job. Off the top of my head, I think commercial solar panels are...30% efficient? If we had solar panels that were 70-80% efficient that would suit our needs just fine for many applications without trying to branch out the spectrum absorbed.

[Greyblades]

I think commercial solar panels are...30% efficient?

Currently the best achieved sunlight conversion rate (solar panel efficiency) is around 21% in commercial products,

[a completely inoffensive name]

Currently the best achieved sunlight conversion rate (solar panel efficiency) is around 21% in commercial products,

Ouch, I must have been thinking of some of the experimental stuff in labs. So obviously, we can see where the problems of solar comes in.

[gaelic cowboy]

Currently the best achieved sunlight conversion rate (solar panel efficiency) is around 21% in commercial products,

obviously the efficiency would be poor to middling but with clever positioning of say 2-3 different solar farms in orbit one could have power 24hr a day.

Space-based solar power

[Vladimir]

There is already a solar collector that collects energy from all visible wavelengths.



It's not all that much more economical than other methods of energy generation. If you are talking about photo voltaic cells then you got some problems. I am not an expert in the technology, but my understanding of it is that if you want a wider range of wavelengths to be absorbed you are going to need compounds that either absorb wider ranges or you are going to need multiple different compounds to each be turning the photons into excited electrons.

Obviously this problem is evident if we are talking about a world where the rare earths are held hostage by china. Also, it says nothing of its economics simply by being able to absorb the spectrum. What will matter is how efficiently it will do the job. Off the top of my head, I think commercial solar panels are...30% efficient? If we had solar panels that were 70-80% efficient that would suit our needs just fine for many applications without trying to branch out the spectrum absorbed.

I can't remember what the percentages were but it was a multi-layered cell. The problem was in getting the hexagonal "pixels" to align perfectly on each layer. That is a reflecting concentrator; different.

I saw Die Another Day again this weekend, maybe we should make it out of diamonds.

[Papewaio]

Meh basic 3D geometry means that something at a sufficient distance from either pole can view the space elevator at all times.

I wouldn't bother as it isn't a stable position. I'd use Lagrange points as main distribution hubs.

I'd look at trading some of the materials from asteroids to pay for components needed in the mining. But the real end game would be using materials in space to create habitats on asteroids, planets, moons and then colony arks to take us into the Oort cloud and beyond.

Right now we are a single cell immobile creature called earth stuck in the petri dish called our solar system.

[gaelic cowboy]

Solar power is too inefficient at this point in time.

yes but the suns rays are free and that is the only saving grace, plus we would be takling thousands of collectors positioned to to give 24hr powersupply.