SRC-041

Solar Power Satellite Development: Advances in Modularity and Mechanical Systems

Published claims resting on this source

• CLM-0333 In one 1978 design, structure and mechanisms made up about 18% of the satellite's dry mass; a 2010 paper gives about 20% as a general rule for the main structure of aerospace systems. The two figures measure different things, so they are not two estimates of one share.
• CLM-0336 Different design studies over four decades have each simply assumed a different working lifetime for a solar power satellite, from about 15 years to 30 years; none has actually operated one long enough to know which is right.
• CLM-0343 A 2010 NASA paper argues that building a solar power satellite in space is not just a robot problem: the module design, the assembly steps, and the supporting equipment all have to be developed together. It suggests starting with a much smaller test system first.

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