zlacker

Over 10 years ago, the best satellites had 500W/kg [2]. Modern solar panels that are designed to be light are at 200g per sqm [1]. That's 5sqm per kg. One sqm generates ca. 500W. So we're at 2.5kW per kg. Some people claim 4.3kW/kg possible.

Starship launch costs have a $100/kg goal, so we'd be at $40 / kW, or $4800 for a 120kW cluster.

120kW is 1GWh annually, costs you around $130k in Europe per year to operate. ROI 14 days. Even if launch costs aren't that low in the beginning and there's a lot more stuff to send up, your ROI might be a year or so, which is still good.

[1] - https://www.polytechnique-insights.com/en/columns/space/ultr... [2] - https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/12824/lightest-pos...

>>cmenge+(OP)
What if you treat that launch costs goal as just a marketing promise. Invest in reality, not in billionaire's fantasies.

>>mkespe+97
> What if you treat that launch costs goal as just a marketing promise.

Then it's roughly 10x-15x and still works.

> Invest in reality, not in billionaire's fantasies.

SpaceX has dramatically reduced payload cost already. How is that a fantasy?