For all those space based solar power enthusiasts that I know are out there you might be interested in Reaction Engines' report Solar Power Satellites and Spaceplanes: The SKYLON Initiative.
It is one of a number of updates to the website in the latter half of this year that has seen a flurry of activity for the small UK firm, including opening a new factory, moving offices, acquiring engineering companies and REL founder Alan Bond's Royal Aeronautical Society Brabazon lecture
credit Reaction Engines / caption: The Skylon personnel cum logistics module concept
For keen followers of the single stage to orbit Skylon vehicle there is also a user's guide for the C2 version of the spaceplane on the REL homepage. However Hyperbola understands that a D1 version is in the pipeline with substantially more capability. Go here for more technical detail about Skylon technical issues
It is one of a number of updates to the website in the latter half of this year that has seen a flurry of activity for the small UK firm, including opening a new factory, moving offices, acquiring engineering companies and REL founder Alan Bond's Royal Aeronautical Society Brabazon lecture
credit Reaction Engines / caption: The Skylon personnel cum logistics module concept
For keen followers of the single stage to orbit Skylon vehicle there is also a user's guide for the C2 version of the spaceplane on the REL homepage. However Hyperbola understands that a D1 version is in the pipeline with substantially more capability. Go here for more technical detail about Skylon technical issues
on December 22, 2009 5:44 PM | Reply
Skylon (or something closely related) seems like the best approach to LEO or perhaps sub orbital.
From that point to GEO is an expensive step because it has cost so much to bring reaction mass to LEO. Laser ablation propulsion can use very little reaction mass because it can achieve exhaust velocities far in excess of chemical at thrust levels much above ion engines.
If anyone wants a technical paper "Beamed Energy and the Economics of Space Based Solar Power" on this, ask.
Keith Henson
hkeithhenson at gmail dot com