zlacker

>>g-mork+(OP)
> it is possible to put 500 to 1000 TW/year of AI satellites into deep space, meaningfully ascend the Kardashev scale and harness a non-trivial percentage of the Sun’s power

We currently make around 1 TW of photovoltaic cells per year, globally. The proposal here is to launch that much to space every 9 hours, complete with attached computers, continuously, from the moon.

edit: Also, this would capture a very trivial percentage of the Sun's power. A few trillionths per year.

>>gok+h4
> We currently make around 1 TW of photovoltaic cells per year, globally.

China made 1.8 TW of solar cells in 2025.

The raw materials required to make these are incredibly abundant, we make as much as we need.

>>fooker+yr
you realize the factor of 2 you introduce doesn't meaningfully change the order of magnitude that the previous poster is implying right?

>>momosc+qv
You missed the point.

We can make ten or hundred times the number of solar cells we make right now, we just don't have a reason to. The technology is fairly ancient unless you want to compete on efficiency, and the raw materials abundant.

>>fooker+py
you would need 200 times the number of solar cells. I don't think you appreciate the scale that 200x is, especially when China is already:

1. quite good at making solar cells

2. quite motivated to increase their energy production via solar

>>momosc+f81
The bottleneck is deploying solar physically, not making the cells.

We have increased the manufacturing of pretty much every piece of technology you see in front you by 200x at some point in history. Often in a matter of years.

>>fooker+Db1
I agree that part of the bottleneck is deploying solar physically. China is the best in the world in deploying solar panels. They are only managing linear increases in their solar capacity, year over year.