Value chain · CLM-1267
In plain terms
ESA also wanted to know whether beaming solar power from a satellite could power Mars and Moon bases or distant probes, because Europe had no nuclear space power sources of its own and building them would be costly.
The claim as recorded
ESA's 2003 SPS programme plan gives power for space exploration equal standing with power for Earth, studying whether solar power satellites with wireless power transmission could replace nuclear power sources for some missions, partly because "Europe does not possess NPS". The plan notes that solar power is used efficiently only out to about the orbit of Mars, and that nuclear sources are used beyond it and are considered for energy-hungry Mars missions (p.5, paraphrase). It says recent progress in SPS and WPT suggests an alternative in certain cases (p.5, paraphrase). It adds that beamed power could overcome the limit that surface solar arrays on Mars work only near the equator, while water is expected near the poles (p.5, paraphrase). Phase I task 6 is to assess this for robotic and human exploration, with emphasis on Mars around 2030, and to make a feasibility and architecture trade-off for three scenarios: high-power Earth-orbiting spacecraft, missions beyond Mars, and Martian and lunar surface missions (p.11, paraphrase).
Evidence behind this: The agency's own rationale for studying space-to-space power, July 2003; a reason to study, not a finding.
Scope and limits
A MOTIVATION AND A STUDY TASK, NOT A RESULT. No power level, beam frequency, wavelength or cost is given for any scenario, although p.12 says the task 6 study needs laser generation and laser power transmission competence (paraphrase). No held record reports what the study found.
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
p.5 (section 1.2.3): solar power is limited to about Martian orbit; nuclear is used beyond; Europe does not possess NPS, which the US uses as RTGs and the Soviet Union and Russia as fission reactors; developing them would need significant resources; three space-to-space options with Mars exploration around 2030 (paraphrase except the quoted span). p.11 (task 6): assessment with emphasis on Mars (~2030) and the three mission scenarios (paraphrase).
Basis: stated rationale and planned scenarios; no power level or cost stated
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-1267
CLM-1267, Energy Aperture, as of 2003-07-08.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.
- Also from SRC-638
- CLM-1263In 2003 ESA planned a two-year set of paper studies to help its member countries decide whether space solar power was worth pursuing. The...CLM-1264The plan had three steps. First, check whether space solar makes sense against ground solar, what the law allows, and whether it could...CLM-1265ESA planned to finish the whole set of studies in under two years, roughly 2003 to 2005, with the three steps taking about six, six and...CLM-1266ESA set up a small expert advisory group and its in-house futures team to steer the studies. It also linked the work to a wider European...CLM-1268In 2003 ESA's own rough internal sums suggested space solar and comparable ground solar would cost about the same, to within a factor of...