Hi All

Space-power wise it doesn't mean much, but it is a part of the whole effort to develop beamed power and hence should be encouraged.

Ultimately we can see tuned lasers beaming power to photovoltaic collectors with efficiencies ~ +80% because the laser frequencies match the cells' peak frequencies. Lasers have several advantages over microwaves, chief being the receiver can be much smaller than the multi-kilometre antenna farms advocated by the old SPS studies from the 70s.

However the power-density is then higher and the beams are potentially deadlier, making weaponisation a concern, but NOT an inevitability. But that's still a LONG way off unless cheap access to space happens SOON.

Adam