Space Based Solar Panels Vs Earth Based Solar Opanels

For both uses a key figure of merit of the solar panels is the specific power watts generated divided by solar array mass which indicates on a relative basis how much.

Space based solar panels vs earth based solar opanels.

They both include cells that are made of conductive material usually silicon and are fit into arrays. What are solar panels made of. In another facility mcnatt demonstrated a machine used to make solar cell semiconductor materials from a variety of chemical combinations just by turning a few dials in a sophisticated computer program. From top secret projects to solar panels the two story tall chambers simulate the empty environment of space.

Space solar tech is built more durable and efficient. Scientists are testing a new durable recyclable and efficient material that could soon power habitats on the moon. After oxygen silicon is the second most abundant element in the earth s crust. Us doe eia reports that solar panels on average are used 18 8 of their rated capacity.

Low earth orbits are different. The biggest difference has to do with the overall quality and durability of the modules. If you disqualify space based solar power because of it being 4 times more expensive based on a first order and wrong analysis then you should not have ground based solar because it is still over 4 times more expensive than coal and nuclear power. Number 14 on the periodic table number 1 in solar panels.

Get space based solar for expanded space based efforts and for on the ground niches and let it grow. Research on space based solar power has been ongoing at caltech where professors harry atwater ali hajimiri and sergio pellegrino have received funding from the northrop grumman corporation to. Power for spacecraft propulsion electric propulsion sometimes called solar electric propulsion. Back on earth the energy containing radio frequencies from the space based solar panels would be received by a special antenna known as a rectenna which could be as big as six miles in diameter.

Overall there are many similarities between space based solar panels and conventional solar panels. On earth power receiving stations collect the beam and add it to the electric grid. Power to run the sensors active heating cooling and telemetry. The two most commonly discussed designs for sbsp are a large deeper space microwave transmitting satellite and a smaller nearer laser transmitting.

Satellites in geosynchronous orbit are in sunlight 99 9 of the time. These panels convert solar power into either a microwave or a laser and beam uninterrupted power down to earth.