Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
 |
Comments on Solar Satellites Beam Back Energy
This is really a great idea, but I can only go back to 1941 for the earliest kind of reference. Anybody earlier? (Read
the complete story)
| "My reference for this isn't as old as your oldest one, but it's still a useful one. In Pournelle's book "A Step Further Out," (a collection of lectures and papers he gave in the late 70's and early 80's) he gave a lot of details of how this sort of thing would work, including some alternative uses for it, and claimed that it could be made with only slight modifications to off-the-shelf equipment of the time. (among the alternative uses was in a variant of the Laser Launch System which was effectively a pulse-jet engine for aircraft, so they'd only need fuel for takeoff and landing, not for the flight in-between)" (Ashley 10/23/2008 12:54:35 AM) |
| "Similar, but not quite the same, didn't NiKola Telsa broadcast power before 1900?" (Baja 10/23/2008 5:40:11 PM) |
| "Tesla tried, at least, and it worked at short range. Terribly inefficient, though. Fortunately most problems with wireless problem transmission have been solved by now.
Now my question. To get over 5 GW you need a humongous collecting surface. Concentrating light using lightweight mylar mirrors on relatively smaller PV cells can reduce weight, but it should still require assembling a large space structure with a huge combined weight. ¿How do you put that in orbit in the first place?" ( 10/24/2008 2:48:04 AM) |
| "Did Stapledon tackle this in Star Maker (1937)?" (jesse 10/28/2008 6:46:14 AM) |
| "Jesse - very good! Stapledon wrote about an idea that was very similar. The Symbiotics had "artificial planets for permanent habitation." They were covered with a transparent barrier to keep the atmosphere in. "Immediately beneath it hung the photosynthesis stations and the machinery for generating power from solar radiation." See the near space energy collection devices." (Bill Christensen 10/28/2008 8:17:33 AM) |
Get more information on Solar Satellites Beam Back Energy
Leave a comment:
Tediously, spammers have returned; if you have a comment, send it to bill at this site (include the story name) and I'll post it.
More Articles
RoboBallet The Dance Of Cooperative Robots
'...an integrated seven-unit robot team.'
Chrysalis Generation Ship to Alpha Centauri
'This was their world, their planet —
this swift-traveling, yet seemingly moveless vessel.'
Alexa+ And Its AI Brain Improvements
'What's it do?' he asked. 'It amuses.'
Does CloneRobotics Offer A True Android?
Is this What Little Girls Are Made Of?
Brain Implant Is Able To Capture Your Inner Dialogue
'So you see, you can hide nothing from me.'
Are AIs Going Rogue Like Hal 9000
'I know that you and Frank were planning to disconnect me...'
Animated Tumblebugs On Astounding Cover!
'Gaines and Harvey mounted tumblebugs, and kept abreast of the Cadet Captain...'
LingYuan Vehicle Roof Drones Now Available, ala Blade Runner 2049
Accompanied by a small selection of similar ideas from science fiction.
China Steals Strato Airship Design From Google App Engine
'...war-balloons, or, as it would be more correct to call them, navigable aerostats.'
The First Space Warship For Space Force
'Each of the electrical ships carried about twenty men...'
Biohybrid Jellyfish Explore The Ocean
As predicted, and detailed, by science fiction writers!
Should AIs and AI Robots Demand Rights?
'This robot is a creature... It is a manlike being. Therefore, like any other talking, thinking man, he is entitled to a court trial!'
Robot Learns Human Tool Usage By Imitation Learning
'I got one of those new electronic cameras...'
Companion Caregiver ChatGPT Dolls
'Every Artificial Friend is unique, right?'
'Pregnancy Humanoids' From China Replace Moms
'A great many of these synthetic babies were made...'
Man Builds 200 Foot Basement Firing Range
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock.'
Russians Create Robot Tank Platoons
'The remotely-operated robot tank is an old idea...'
3D-Printed Exoskeleton Learns From Your Hand
'...small electric motors at the principal joints worked the prosthetic framework by means of steel cables...'
Smartwatch Powered By Slime Mold
'Living protoplasm incorporated into the Ampek F-a2 recording system...'
Unmanned Boats Attack At Sea
'The autofreighter smashed into the boat...'
