Spray-on Solar Panels -- in space
Posted on: October 18, 2010 - 8:49pm
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Spray-on Solar Panels -- in space
Spray-on Solar Panels
Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.
This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.
On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.
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So sending this crap into space is a good engineering concept ?
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It's much more expensive to send it into space.
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In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day. I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr. Plus a few copper gaskets. A few bucks in total.
So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well. The most expensive parts are probably electrodes. There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.
Yes, but why do it for a few bucks when you can do it in space for approximately $450 million? Doing it in space is soooooo much cooler. Plus if you are spending $450 million it is a lot easier to skim a few million off the top for you and your friends. And we wonder why our country is bankrupt....
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Good point.
But if you can skim of a few millions, would you be still worried about somebody else, or some country going bankrupt?
No one is suggesting that.
No one is suggesting that.
Good, but you don't get it.
This is just one marketable item. Naturally, you want to offer many more.
I think that Burnie Madoff just did it.
Do not get WHAT?
Then how are we supposed to get it in space?
Oh um, I left some around here somewhere. Wait, I know, it is on the pocket of the space suit that I wear on Fridays.! Um yah, that does not really work any better.
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