Author Topic: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant  (Read 5104 times)

Offline Prober

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10348
  • Save the spin....I'm keeping you honest!
  • Nevada
  • Liked: 721
  • Likes Given: 729
Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant

Shimizu Corporation, a Japanese architecture and engineering firm, has a plan to effectively turn the moon into a giant solar power plant, reports Inhabitat

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/japan-wants-turn-moon-giant-155241164.html
2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." --Isoroku Yamamoto

Offline kevin-rf

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8823
  • Overlooking the path Mary's little Lamb took..
  • Liked: 1318
  • Likes Given: 306
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #1 on: 11/28/2013 01:52 am »
Not to be negative and ignoring the physics and economics closing, but does that mean a planet wide blackout every time there is a lunar eclipse?
If you're happy and you know it,
It's your med's!

Offline AJA

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
  • Per Aspera Ad Ares, Per Aspera Ad Astra
  • India
  • Liked: 146
  • Likes Given: 212
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #2 on: 11/28/2013 04:03 am »
Not to be negative and ignoring the physics and economics closing, but does that mean a planet wide blackout every time there is a lunar eclipse?

? :D

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #3 on: 11/28/2013 04:26 am »
Shimuzu has a long history of publicizing advanced space projects that never get started.

Offline MP99

Warning, gibberish alert...

<quote>By comparison, it took the United States all of 2011 to generate 4,100 terawatts of power.</quote>

Cheers, Martin

Offline KelvinZero

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4286
  • Liked: 887
  • Likes Given: 201
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #5 on: 11/28/2013 09:31 am »
Thats no moon.. It's a space station! :)

Offline ChrisWilson68

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5266
  • Sunnyvale, CA
  • Liked: 4992
  • Likes Given: 6459
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #6 on: 11/28/2013 09:55 am »
Haven't we learned anything since 1999?  Power plants on the Moon are big trouble.


Offline Prober

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10348
  • Save the spin....I'm keeping you honest!
  • Nevada
  • Liked: 721
  • Likes Given: 729
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #7 on: 11/28/2013 05:42 pm »
Amazing the last two posts....... ;)

Strange thing trash on tv of late....been watching Space1999.   
2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." --Isoroku Yamamoto

Offline savuporo

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5152
  • Liked: 1002
  • Likes Given: 342
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #8 on: 11/28/2013 11:13 pm »
Shimuzu has a long history of publicizing advanced space projects that never get started.

Yep. http://www.mitsubishielectric.com/bu/space/rd/solarbird/index.html

".. the launch of the first prototype is already set after 2005."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8277780/Japanese-scientists-seek-to-harness-solar-power-in-space.html

".. scientists are hoping to be able to launch a trial satellite system generating solar power as early as 2016"
« Last Edit: 11/28/2013 11:16 pm by savuporo »
Orion - the first and only manned not-too-deep-space craft

Offline TrevorMonty

The loss of a nuclear power station from tsunami and resulting leakage maybe behind this renewed interest in space sourced power.  ISS could be used for testing transmission of power by microwave. It just needs a microwave transmitter.

Offline ChrisWilson68

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5266
  • Sunnyvale, CA
  • Liked: 4992
  • Likes Given: 6459
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #10 on: 11/29/2013 07:12 am »
The loss of a nuclear power station from tsunami and resulting leakage maybe behind this renewed interest in space sourced power.  ISS could be used for testing transmission of power by microwave. It just needs a microwave transmitter.

Such a test is pointless.  We know, more or less, how microwave power transmission works.

That's not what's keeping us from deploying space-based solar power for use on Earth.  What's keeping us from deploying it is that the economics are bad.  Very, very, very bad.  Orders of magnitude worse than the alternatives, including many environmentally-friendly options.

Economics matter, because they tell you when you are using your resources wisely and when you are not.  With today's technology, the economics tell us its a foolish waste of resources.  We need to wait until we come up with technology that is has at least a distant hope of being economical before we start a test program.

Offline savuporo

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5152
  • Liked: 1002
  • Likes Given: 342
Re: Japan Wants To Turn The Moon Into A Giant Power Plant
« Reply #11 on: 11/29/2013 07:26 am »
The loss of a nuclear power station from tsunami and resulting leakage maybe behind this renewed interest in space sourced power.
Yes

http://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/article/japan-continues-to-pursue-dream-of-solar
“After the accident of the nuclear power plant, interview requests from TV, newspaper and publishing companies have increased remarkably,” Fujita said from his office, which is part of Japan’s Aerospace Research and Development Directorate.

Quote
  ISS could be used for testing transmission of power by microwave. It just needs a microwave transmitter.

Yes

"The first step in bringing the plans to fruition will be the launch in around 2020 of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) of the International Space Station. The module will be fitted with equipment that will beam electricity to Earth"
« Last Edit: 11/29/2013 07:26 am by savuporo »
Orion - the first and only manned not-too-deep-space craft

Offline TrevorMonty

Quote
Such a test is pointless.  We know, more or less, how microwave power transmission works.
As far I know nobody has ever tried transmitting large amounts(10-100Kw) of power form space to earth using microwave or laser power. Japanese ISS module will prove one way or another.




Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1