this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2025
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sino
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there are a few studies on this https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19760009531
I'm still confused if the efficiency is 95%, 75%, or 54%, but even if it's the lowest one it's still pretty good, higher than I expected.
Overall efficiency of 54% because they improved output efficiency to 95% and receiver efficiency to 75%.
Thanks! That's much more clear
It looks like the overall efficiency is 54%, which is probably the aggregate efficiency of the various different efficiencies listed of the sub components. Like you say though, that’s better than I would have guessed as a non-expert, and given that being in orbit massively increases the efficiency of the solar panels, it’s probably a decent scheme.
I’m still curious about the microwave beam though, does it just fry anything that happens to accidentally pass through it? Can you re-aim it at a new receiver plant in a completely different location based on regional power need, etc?
Presumably you'd separate it into smaller beams that only focus at the receiver, kinda like how holding up a magnifying glass to the sun doesn't fry everything between the magnifying glass and the target, just the target itself.
Oh yeah that’s a good point, hadn’t thought of it like that. You could have distributed beam origins pointing towards one large receiver. Or multiple arrays but have them aimed at one receiver, etc.
headlines are calling it the Death Star
Thanks!
Yeah, if it really collects "more energy in a year than 'all the oil on Earth'" you probably don't want to be on the path of the microwaves.
Haha no kidding
it can kill smaller creatures within a minute, though i imagine it would be quite painful and obvious that its happening so they would likely just move out of the way before too much harm happens. this is also resolved by having many specific safe areas for unloading the microwaves and also reducing the amount sent.