Citizens for Space Based Solar Power

Tag: baseload power

  • STP180 – Can Space Based Solar Power Save the Planet

    STP180 – Can Space Based Solar Power Save the Planet

    This recent Space and Things podcast featuring John Mankins is an excellent all-around introduction to space based solar power (SBSP) and its game changing, clean energy potential.

    For those who may not be familiar, John C. Mankins is a former NASA physicist known for his ongoing work on space-based solar power. Along with explaining the fundamental of SBSP in easy-to-understand language, Mankins made a point I would like to highlight.

    • Unlike nuclear power plants, SBSP will be a switchable baseload power source. SBSP will be able to take the place of natural gas and other fossil fuel fired generation now being used to supplement terrestrial solar and wind power when nighttime or weather interrupt their outputs. The combination of space-based and terrestrial solar power will be a 100% clean, baseload power source.

    Mankins also had some astute observations about the most recent NASA report on SBSP, published on January 11, 2024 from the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy.

    • Energy for Earth is not one of NASA’s four current missions
    • The report has a very reasonable charter at the beginning.
    • The analyses contained in the report utilize excellent, rigorous methodologies.
    • The report has some extraordinarily reasonable findings and recommendations at the end.
    • But … the assumptions that went into that model were weird. The assumptions were unreasonably pessimistic, leading to astronomically high predictions of the cost per kWh from SBSP.
    • There is a one-line caveat included in the report that says if all of our assumptions turn out better than we have assumed, the cost of a kWh from SBSP will be about three cents.

    Needless to say, you should read the report for yourself (linked above) and come to your own conclusions about its assumptions, charter, analyses, findings, and recommendations. Keep in mind the fact that energy for Earth is not one of NASA’s four current missions.

  • Virtus Solis: The Power of the Sun

    Virtus Solis: The Power of the Sun

    Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Virtus Solis was founded by John Bucknell and Dr. Edward Tate. Together, the founders have deep experience in heavy launch and propulsion technologies, as well as the analysis and development of energy systems.

    The Virtus Solis website makes a bold claim about the space-based solar power (SBSP) technology they have developed:

    Virtus Solis is the world’s first space-based solar power energy generation system able to directly compete with conventional and renewable energy sources with none of the drawbacks.

    As outlined in the video above, some notable features of the Virtus Solis SBSP technology include:

    • Use of commercial, reusable heavy launch provider
    • Massive and highly scalable arrays of satellite solar collectors
    • Use of the highly elliptical Molniya orbit between low-earth and geosynchronous orbital altitudes (MEO)
    • 10 GHz microwave energy transmission frequency
    • A projected Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) competitive with all other current forms of energy generation

    Found in the National Space Society’s (NSS) Space Solar Power Library, the Survey of Space Based Solar Power, Virtus Solis, 2024, written by John Bucknell, includes detailed descriptions of several proposed SBSP architectures including the Virtus Solis’ Lucidus Hyper-Modular Architecture (2023). This SBSP survey reaches the following conclusion:

    As shown, most SBSP systems described herein could provide energy at a competitive price in today’s market and future markets. The Virtus Solis architecture excels, with an LCOE of $25/MWh.

  • Will Fossil Fuels Be A “Bridge to Nowhere”?

    Will Fossil Fuels Be A “Bridge to Nowhere”? – photo by Kecko CC BY 2.0 on Flickr

    Every form of energy we have can eventually be traced back to the Sun. Space based solar power solves the on/off problem of terrestrial solar power, and could be delivered nearly anywhere on the planet 24/7/365. These characteristics make space based solar power a virtually unlimited, clean baseload power source.

    Currently, payload launch-to-orbit costs are the single biggest hurdle to developing and deploying space based solar power. While it would be a massive and complex engineering project, no basic science breakthroughs are needed before space based solar power could be implemented.

    Space based solar power is not a short-term solution to our energy needs. Domestic fossil fuel resources would provide a “bridge” to its eventual implementation … but fossil fuel will be a “bridge to nowhere”, unless we start developing space based solar power very soon.

    Rob Mahan
    Citizens for Space Based Solar Power*

    *I’m a purely self-appointed advocate, and I have no financial stake in space based solar power. I simply believe that it will eventually be the solution to our energy future.