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New We discussed some of these a while ago.
[link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=159106|#159106].

zIWeThey is a maze of twisty passages, all alike. :-)

Don't get me wrong, there are many things the US, and others, can do to lessen our dependence on ME oil. But as long as the industrial world runs on petroleum, the ME is going to be a vital region. Kerry's [link|http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=bombast|bombast] about "energy independence" won't change that.

[edit: modified the WeeCode for bombast to get rid of the quotes]

Cheers,
Scott.
Collapse Edited by Another Scott Aug. 3, 2004, 11:58:28 PM EDT
We discussed some of these a while ago.
[link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=159106|#159106].

zIWeThey is a maze of twisty passages, all alike. :-)

Don't get me wrong, there are many things the US, and others, can do to lessen our dependence on ME oil. But as long as the industrial world runs on petroleum, the ME is going to be a vital region. Kerry's [link|http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=bombast|"bombast"] about "energy independence" won't change that.

Cheers,
Scott.
New It's all about solar orbital microwave power sats.
WANTED: Precognitive Telepath for adventuring Partnership. You know where to apply.
New And who wants to be by the Earth station?
"Whoops, the aim was off a little bit. Walt's Boneless Chicken Ranch just got cooked."

There are a few small problems with some of the proposals for things like this. E.g. [link|http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/factsheets/l123.html|here]:

Each SPSS would have been massive, measuring 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers [km]) long and 3.3 miles (5.3 km) wide, or 21 square miles (55.7 square kilometers) in area. The surface of each satellite would have been covered with 400 million solar cells.

The transmitting antenna on the satellite(s) would have been about \ufffd mile in diameter (1 km) and the receiving antennae on the earth's surface would have been about 6 miles (10 km) in diameter. Massive structures such as this would have been a significant engineering challenge.

Because of their size, the satellites would have been constructed in space. The plan envisioned sending small segments of the satellites into space using the Space Shuttle. The materials would have been stored at work stations in low earth orbit, and then towed to the assembly point by a purpose-built "space tug" (such as operating the space shuttle).

Cost was the major obstacle to development of the SPSS. When the NASA-DOE report was completed in 1979, the estimated cost for building a prototype was $74 billion. Construction of an SPSS system would have taken about 30 years to complete. At the time, the United States did not appropriate funds to begin construction. Other countries, such as Japan, are currently exploring the concept of solar power stations in space.


TANSTAAFL. Unless you live near Walt's when it happens. :-)

Cheers,
Scott.
New Death valley.
Not much there to get cooked already.

Yeah, there are some issues. Hell, we might get better just with a whole set of mirrors beaming heat energy, or maybe lasers heating water, etc.? This is just a couple seconds of thought into the subject - I still think directly from the sun is where ultimately we will aggregate most of our energy from in the long run.
WANTED: Precognitive Telepath for adventuring Partnership. You know where to apply.
     Kerry and Edwards "Plan for America" - (ben_tilly) - (14)
         But they have no plan...it's all lies.... -NT - (Simon_Jester) - (1)
             Hey now...isn't that supposed to be my line? ;-) -NT - (bepatient)
         It's about time... - (danreck) - (11)
             Ob nit re implications - (Ashton)
             What's old is new again. - (Another Scott) - (8)
                 There are other routes to that end - (ben_tilly) - (5)
                     There is also (methyl and ethyl) alcohol. - (a6l6e6x)
                     We discussed some of these a while ago. - (Another Scott) - (3)
                         It's all about solar orbital microwave power sats. -NT - (inthane-chan) - (2)
                             And who wants to be by the Earth station? - (Another Scott) - (1)
                                 Death valley. - (inthane-chan)
                 Early 1974: A Tale of Attention Spans - (Ashton) - (1)
                     See it here: - (Another Scott)
             minor nit - (boxley)

Not sure if that makes your statement true or false...
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