If your SPS is out at a LaGrange point, you'll need multiple ground receiver stations to handle the downlink power because of the Earth's rotation. This may not be a problem if you can establish contracts to supply power to different countries. However, if your SPS is at geosynch, a single ground site per satellite is all you need unless you use beam steering to supply power to multiple cities. Even then, geosynch is easier than an L point. There may also be less propagation loss due to the shorter distance from geosynch than from an L point.
A satellite in GEO will be in direct sunlight over 99% of the time. A satellite out at an L point wouldn't have to worry about eclipses, but since the percentage of downtime is so low, I doubt if the extra sunlight would be worthwhile.
Space/Science » in reply to your analysis is flawed...
Geosynch has some real advantages over a LaGrange point for SPS
The whole thread (23 posts)
- Update on flexible solar cells
- The efficiency is the most important figure, more important even than cost.
- solar power satellites
- No need for storage
- re: The efficiency is the most important figure, more important even than cost.
- I'm glad you brought up this topic.
- re: Update on flexible solar cells
- Hope these work! (n/t)
- The efficiency is the most important figure, more important even than cost.