XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics   
   From: fjmccall@gmail.com   
      
   jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:   
      
   >   
   >As high efficiency solar panel on Mars would only deliver a daily average   
   >of about 40 W/m^2, low efficieny panels means a LOT of panels.   
   >   
      
   You have a point?   
      
   >   
   >Making solar panel silicon is very energy intensive, so how do you   
   >bootstrap a solar panel plant other than with a reactor or shipping   
   >huge amounts of panels, mounting hardware, and cement for the posts?   
   >   
      
   You've had this explained to you repeatedly.  Initial power would come   
   from a number of relatively small nuclear reactors.  The first two   
   down would provide power for a chemical plant making methane and   
   'hotel power' for an initial habitat.  These are relatively small   
   reactors, so having lots of them with each assigned to a specific   
   application is not a major problem.   
      
      
   --   
   "Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar   
    territory."   
                                         --G. Behn   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)