At the orbits they're talking about, at best 30 minutes before dawn and after sunset. Earth gets in the way, have to go much much higher to get 24 hour coverage, and if you can focus that well over that distance you've got the optics for a super-weapon.
And as this is optical, won't go through clouds. This is why beamed power discussions often talk about converting to microwaves instead, though that comes with an even bigger spot size on the ground.
At the orbits they're talking about, at best 30 minutes before dawn and after sunset. Earth gets in the way, have to go much much higher to get 24 hour coverage, and if you can focus that well over that distance you've got the optics for a super-weapon.
And as this is optical, won't go through clouds. This is why beamed power discussions often talk about converting to microwaves instead, though that comes with an even bigger spot size on the ground.
Yeah, fair points. Thanks!
Is it possible it can deliver anywhere near enough solar energy to make this economically viable?
It's not going to be full daylight, is it?
Absolutely impossible to do that in any viable sense.