zlacker

It looks like you’re comparing the cost of installing solar panels on the ground with the cost of just transporting them to orbit. You can’t just toss raw solar panels out of a cargo bay.

>>sarche+(OP)
>You can’t just toss raw solar panels out of a cargo bay.

That is exactly what you do - just like with Starlink - toss out the panels with attached GPUs, laser transmitter and small ion drive.

>>trhway+51
Best estimates based on the publicly available data I can find are that solar panels make up 5-10% of the manufacturing cost of a starlink satellite.

There’s so much overhead you’re hand waving away to make your numbers work.