Re: Juno yes, Moonrise no

Mike Combs <mikecombs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> "Pat Flannery" <flanner@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:11afg1jsf7hu5de@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > How about the decreased power generating ability of the solar array with
> > time, particularly given its orbit beyond the magnetosphere's solar
> > radiation-protecting influence?
> > The whole thing is going to have reduced power outputs from almost the
> > moment it's built; is the plan to start replacing solar arrays
> > incrementally, or all at once after say a decade or so?
>
> One might have to replace solar cells at 10 year or so intervals (whether a
> continuous operation or not), but there has been a proposal to repair

solar panels down here on earth have a payback time of about 15 years
(energy payback time that is) so replacing space-based panels every ten
is a very losing proposition. Energy payback time is in general a
problem with solar power stations, and much more so if you add additional
launch costs (or for that matter, costs of making them on Moon).

> heavy-ion damage by an annealing process involving a big fresnel lens.
> That, if it could be made to work, would be a big cost savings since you
> could "repair" the solar cells in-place.
>

Has it been demonstrated in lab yet?

--
Sander

+++ Out of cheese error +++
.

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