Let's Cover The Moon in Solar Panels

Let's Cover The Moon in Solar Panels

gizmodo.com

Here's an idea so crazy it might work: a solar plant on the Moon. Specifically, a 6,800 mile long solar belt that spans the Moon's equator and sends energy back to Earth with lasers and microwave power.

Japanese firm Shimizu is calling their lunar solar power generation concept the Luna Ring and it's brilliantly ambitious. The way the Luna Ring works is by gathering solar energy with a 6,800 mile long solar belt across the Moon's equator that'll be transmitted to Moon-based energy conversion facilities. The converted power will then be beamed to Earth-based facilities with laser power

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wow that is a good idea...this mis thre way to put robots to are service

Robots will handle the lunar-side construction with most building materials coming from the moon. The benefit of having solar panels on the Moon is that it eliminates inefficiency due to bad weather and allows it to achieve 24/7 continuous power generation. Oh, and the fact that we'll have a freaking power plant on the Moon sending lasers at the Earth isn't anything to sneeze at either.

gizmodo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

what a great idea.

one of those "why didnt i think of that". we could power all sorts of stuff up there, perhaps lights to grow plants and food.

I'm fairly certain I've read a scifi story about that sort of thing. Isn't it amazing how many science fiction writers think of things before the scientists do?

Why it's outrageously expensive and would require technology we do not yet have perfected. It would require maintenance etc.

We have plenty of uninhabited deserts on the planet no need to go to the moon...

That's a very cool idea.

S&F.

g

Could the "beamed" energy be used as a weapon?

we need moon cannon!

reply to post by Wertdagf


Yes it could.

It could kill alot of people if it was used properly.

Originally posted by Wertdagf
Could the "beamed" energy be used as a weapon?

we need moon cannon!

"rods from god" or simple "rocks" (kinetic weapons) would be much easier and possible now without all the tech we'd need for this contraption on the moon to be weaponized.

Originally posted by hawkiye
Why it's outrageously expensive and would require technology we do not yet have perfected. It would require maintenance etc.

We have plenty of uninhabited deserts on the planet no need to go to the moon...

Wouldn't solar panels in the moon's environment allow them to last much longer without need of repair? I'm assuming that the degradation they encounter on Earth is because of atmospheric conditions... is that right?

It would be a massive investment, but it may end up bringing massive net profits, if they build it right.

What about Solar-Wind Mills?

2nd line

One moon day is 28 Earth days long. This would produce power only half of the time, if located on the equator. It would be better to locate it on "peak of eternal light" - a place on the north or south pole of the Moon where sun always shines. Lunar water ice is also on its poles, so thats where lunar base is probably going to be anyway.

en.wikipedia.org...

Cleaning the panels of sticky lunar regolith could be pain in the proverbial ass...

Just throwing this out there, would it inevedibly affect our tidal motion??

I realy think this never will happen, and IMO it's just a lunatic idea. When a divice or project is designed to produce energy, There is a primal factor that must be in cosideration... The Cost in Money and Energy spended in it Vs. the total outcame of energy produced and costs of it's transportation.
I think it is quite obvious that in this case, the total costs and money spend in mantainance will be so high that the energy produced must be ridiculous expensive in order this can be productive.

I will not speak even it how much this will cost to build all the things need it in the Moon... ...
In other way ...do you know the huge amount of energy need it to make conductive lasers? Sending the energy back to Earth with lasers and microwave power, will be a ridiculous usage amount of energy!
I don't belive this can be a reality meanwhile we mantain the economic system we have atm!



[edit on 2/6/10 by Umbra Sideralis]

Originally posted by Son of Will

Originally posted by hawkiye
Why it's outrageously expensive and would require technology we do not yet have perfected. It would require maintenance etc.

We have plenty of uninhabited deserts on the planet no need to go to the moon...

Wouldn't solar panels in the moon's environment allow them to last much longer without need of repair? I'm assuming that the degradation they encounter on Earth is because of atmospheric conditions... is that right?

I pondered the same question. I think it's debatable. Consider the thermal stress from the temperature extremes on the moon. That massive thermal expansion and contraction could cause cracks/fractures in electrical connections after repeated cycles. There may be ways to design around that, but then there's still the cost issue. It's still far more economical to put panels in the desert on Earth, even with maintenance.

Maybe if we ever build a space elevator and reduce the launch costs it would be more economically feasible. But I'd still worry about what happens when that laser beaming power back to Earth gets out of alignment and fries a bunch of people by accident (or possibly on purpose as someone suggested, but accidents can and do happen).

There's also the micrometeorite impact issue, the moon is constantly pummeled with micrometeorites. The Earth is too but they don't hit the solar panels like they would on the moon because they are turned into dust by the Earth's atmosphere.

[edit on 2-6-2010 by Arbitrageur]

Originally posted by christianpatrick
I'm fairly certain I've read a scifi story about that sort of thing. Isn't it amazing how many science fiction writers think of things before the scientists do?

To be fair, a LOT of science fiction writers are scientists or have very strong science backgrounds. What's different, is that being writers they tend to have very good imaginations, coupled with their science understanding, which is why so many good ideas come from them.

That is actually a very neat idea, i say neat, because it is not very practical. Even if we build a space elevator, which is also impractical (and materials science cant do it yet) But, It would be very interesting.

Or, we could make a large satellite covered with diamond panels that can reflect/focus/beam sunlight back down to earth. We could call it icharus, I bet a north korean posing as a englishmen could do it.

(sorry to troll, just had do)

I do see the practicality of having power generated on the moon. A ton of empty space, no weathering, no earth pollution OF ANY KIND, and pretty much a good idea, if it could work.

[edit on 2-6-2010 by LeeTheDestroyer]

i agree that the idea is super ambitious. perhaps this new form of energy could create new jobs and be safer for the environment