Value chain · CLM-1195
In plain terms
The design builds one thin, nearly kilometre-wide disc out of many metre-sized flat satellites, each with solar cells on one side and radio transmitters on the other; the first project's disc is 967 m across.
The claim as recorded
The survey describes the Lucidus array as "near-gossamer arrays of meter-scale monolithic 'tile' satellites", each tile with PV on one face, power electronics, communications and control in a centre layer and phased-array antennas on the opposite face, integrated into "kilometer-scale" phased arrays; for Project #1 its Table 1 gives a major dimension of 967 m diameter, equal PV and WPT areas of 734,098 m2 and an effective transmitter radius of 483 m.
Scope and limits
THE VENDOR'S OWN FIGURES. SRC-013 is Virtus Solis's survey of its competitors and itself (T4), and states "Data associated with the Virtus Solis system was internally generated" (PDF 2). No held source checks them independently; SRC-076 Table 1 (PDF 12) lists "Virtus Solis P1" from manufacturers' claimed values (PDF 11) but carries none of these dimensions or areas. NO HELD SOURCE SAYS HOW THE TILES PHASE TOGETHER OR WHETHER THEY FLY FREE. SRC-013 says tiles are assembled or integrated into arrays and describes no reference distribution, pilot or retrodirective scheme, and no joints or free flight; only the mirror is called co-orbiting. The tile size is given only as "meter-scale". Own arithmetic: a 967 m disc is 734,400 m2, matching the stated areas; 483 m is half of 967 m.
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
PDF 7: "Virtus Solis's approach to SBSP is to assemble near-gossamer arrays of meter-scale monolithic 'tile' satellites into highly elliptical ground synchronous Molniya orbits"; "The thin 'tile' architecture includes PV on one face, power electronics, communications and control in a center layer and WPT phased-array antennas (PAAs) on the opposite face."; "integrating the satellite tiles into kilometer-scale PAAs operating at 10GHz". PDF 9, Table 1 at render, Project #1: "Major Dimensions" "m" "967" with a diameter sign; "Area of PV" "734,098"; "Area of WPT" "734,098"; "Effective Radius of Transmitter" "m" "483".
Basis: array diameter in m; PV and WPT areas in m2; effective transmitter radius in m; tile size (qualitative)
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-1195
CLM-1195, Energy Aperture, as of 2024.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.
- Also from SRC-013
- CLM-0187The company's own 2024 analysis estimates that a single, non-reused Starship launch to low orbit would cost about $665 per kilogram, and...CLM-0532A different space-solar-power company's own 2024 analysis estimates that a single non-reused Starship launch to low orbit would cost about...CLM-0667One company's design deliberately avoids the standard high orbit used by other designs, because it believes waiting for compatibility with...CLM-0668The same company's own numbers show that, using the identical rocket and the identical (chemical) engine type throughout, simply choosing a...CLM-1194The company's first planned project is sized at 200 MW to the grid from a 732-tonne satellite, running nine-tenths of the time over a...CLM-1196A separate, very light mirror flies beside each array and turns slowly, once a year, so the solar cells always see the Sun; for the first...CLM-1197The company beams at 10 GHz and claims its beam loses nothing in space on the way down, where the other designs in its own table lose...CLM-1198The first project's receiving site is a circle 2 km across, with two hours of batteries on the ground.More on the source page.