On Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:17:38 -0500, cavelamb himself
wrote:

Wes wrote:
clay wrote:


completely ridiculous idea.

It currently costs $10,000 to send an astronaut a bottle of water to
drink. How much do you think it is going to cost to put solar reflectors
in space. They reflect sunlight, they reflect microwaves (Jaxa). the
efficiency and actual cost of this idea puts it out of practicality.

ca


Isn't there pressure exerted by the suns energy on any array of cells? Assuming I'm
thinking right, how do you keep a massive solar collector from being pushed against and
slowed in orbit?

I can't remember if the array would go up in orbit or down in orbit but is sure wouldn't
point at the recieving station for long.

Wes


Orbital mechanics is really simple - in theory.

Slow down - go down.
Speed up, go up.

Refering to the center of the orbit.

Heliocentric, in this case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliocentrism


The Solar Wind question is a good one and isnt solved by orbital
mechanics when the exerted forces come from things other than gravity.

Gunner

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those
who in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality",
John F. Kennedy.