[ExI] Step at a time was economic parable

[hkhenson]

At 10:11 AM 10/9/2008, Jef wrote:
>On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 9:13 AM, hkhenson <hkhenson at rogers.com> wrote:
> > Why is it so critical to get the lift to GEO for power sat parts down under
> > $100/kg?
>
>Many of my initial questions are addressed here:
>
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_satellite>
>
>For me, the biggest question not adequately addressed has to do with
>the extended ramifications of essentially single-point dependency on a
>particular geopolitical power in control of a major energy source.

What assumptions are you making to create this model?

There is zero risk the sun will stop shining.

The rectennas are near power loads.  The US alone will take hundreds 
of power sats so failure of a few isn't going to be a major 
problem.  They have to be repairable since flying rocks will hit them 
once in a while.

They could certainly be taken out with a large number of very large 
nuclear weapons, but that's the same as all power systems on the ground.

While there are physical reasons that some versions of the million 
ton per year (or more) materials pipeline might be a single facility, 
there is no reason I  can see why the constructed power sats should 
not be owned by diverse organizations from national governments to 
electric companies.

Keith