These 5 far-out space projects are making science fiction a reality

[Bilal.]

Exactly, hence i said slowing down. Even if we can extend human life by 15-20 years by these small steps, it's going to be a big thing.

True.... this century is going to be an interesting one

 

[Skull and Bones]

True, this century is going to be interesting one.

If you have the interest, study nanotechnology. You'd be amazed by the possibilities it have. Last day i had a presentation on 'MEMS based Solar Harvesting', using the IR spectrum of the solar radiation to generate electricity using Piezoelectric property of PZT. And it's cheaper to fabricate than Photovoltaic cells and can be used in tandem with existing PV Cells, where it'd take the thermal energy from solar cells and generate electricity.

By this method, we can have a efficiency of around 40%, making solar energy cheapest of all existing power sources. Current efficiency is around 10-15%.

 

[FaujHistorian]

......
Oppressed souls [Men] might want to make a few hours or days journey through wormholes, when they come back 100-200 years [wives] would have passed by Earth's time! -)

Devious plan of married men?

Hope you don't mind me injecting stuff in your post

 

[KRAIT]

Very good question and I'm glad you come up with that. The solution could by as simple as using few space based microwave concentrators to concentrate and direct the beam to desired locations, and microwave harvesters can be located at different isolated areas spread across the world. So at a definite time, some point will always get energy.

That is why I'm in favor of microwave than laser, as it is less prone to refraction because of varying concentration of earth's atmosphere.

No problem even with lasers.

If I may, would like to add some more explanation -

High amount of energy stored on moon (consider some sort of batteries) can be sent by exciting and emitting the laser with high energy, can transfer enough amount of energy at the receiver end which can be stored in another battery.

Simple RC circuit analogy can be applied with energy pulse. Very short duration, high voltage.

There is already an implementation of solar energy stored in a huge hall which stores the energy in arrays of battery and then to power the city.

 

[Skull and Bones]

you sure you are not ready to pen the next big scifi?

or worse

a movie script for next James bond?

Movies can be a very nice source of inspiration, they give you a outline, one just needs to fill in the dots. And i'm not that good in writing or speaking skills, or i'd have definitely tried that. I'm a Grad student of Nanoelectronics.

No problem even with lasers.

If I may, would like to add some more explanation -

High amount of energy stored on moon (consider some sort of batteries) can be sent by exciting and emitting the laser with high energy, can transfer enough amount of energy at the receiver end which can be stored in another battery.

Simple RC circuit analogy can be applied with energy pulse. Very short duration, high voltage.

There is already an implementation of solar energy stored in a huge hall which stores the energy in arrays of battery and then to power the city.

You mean physical transfer of Batteries?

 

[KRAIT]

If you have the interest, study nanotechnology. You'd be amazed by the possibilities it have. Last day i had a presentation on 'MEMS based Solar Harvesting', using the IR spectrum of the solar radiation to generate electricity using Piezoelectric property of PZT. And it's cheaper to fabricate than Photovoltaic cells and can be used in tandem with existing PV Cells, where it'd take the thermal energy from solar cells and generate electricity.

By this method, we can have a efficiency of around 40%, making solar energy cheapest of all existing power sources. Current efficiency is around 10-15%.

There are already some talks of using piezoelectric substance on rocks to generate electricity from waves hitting the cliffs.

Any idea about that ?

 

[dray]

If you have the interest, study nanotechnology. You'd be amazed by the possibilities it have. Last day i had a presentation on 'MEMS based Solar Harvesting', using the IR spectrum of the solar radiation to generate electricity using Piezoelectric property of PZT. And it's cheaper to fabricate than Photovoltaic cells and can be used in tandem with existing PV Cells, where it'd take the thermal energy from solar cells and generate electricity.

By this method, we can have a efficiency of around 40%, making solar energy cheapest of all existing power sources. Current efficiency is around 10-15%.

When this happens, it will have a massive impact on the international politics, economics, and balance of power, much beyond the scope of an efficient sustainable power source.

 

[Bilal.]

If you have the interest, study nanotechnology. You'd be amazed by the possibilities it have. Last day i had a presentation on 'MEMS based Solar Harvesting', using the IR spectrum of the solar radiation to generate electricity using Piezoelectric property of PZT. And it's cheaper to fabricate than Photovoltaic cells and can be used in tandem with existing PV Cells, where it'd take the thermal energy from solar cells and generate electricity.

By this method, we can have a efficiency of around 40%, making solar energy cheapest of all existing power sources. Current efficiency is around 10-15%.

Wouldn't MEMS be a bit fragile and maintenance intensive when there is already breakthroughs in PVs that promise efficiency of ~40%-45%?

New thin film increases efficiency of stacked solar cells

 

[KRAIT]

Movies can be a very nice source of inspiration, they give you a outline, one just needs to fill in the dots. And i'm not that good in writing or speaking skills, or i'd have definitely tried that. I'm a Grad student of Nanoelectronics.
You mean physical transfer of Batteries?

Nope. One array installed on moon. An exciter to beam the laser. And The receiver with arrays of batteries on earth. Rest the distribution on earth will be normal. Receiver will be like Nuclear or thermal plant (just an analogy).

 

[Skull and Bones]

There are already some talks of using piezoelectric substance on rocks to generate electricity from waves hitting the cliffs.

Any idea about that ?

Yes, Piezoelectric materials generate emf when it's crystal structure is deformed in a way. So any sort of mechanical energy can be converted to electrical energy. Now as energy is proportional to the operating frequency of the device, and the frequency be inversely proportional to the root of the dimension. That means, as smaller you can scale, higher will be the frequency. Hence the efficiency of MEMS/NEMS based device will be much higher than the wave generated device.

Wouldn't MEMS be a bit fragile and maintenance intensive when there is already breakthroughs in PVs that promise efficiency of ~40%-45%?

New thin film increases efficiency of stacked solar cells

No, it's not fragile. Infact, by modern fabrication technique, it can be printed. And the efficiency of PVs will always be capped at certain value, 48% theoretically and 34% in real life condition because of bandgap of semiconductors. And the PVs have maximum efficiency only at certain intensities of solar radiation.

And for MEMS, the efficiency is dependent on scaling, the smaller you scale, the higher efficiency you get and using Piezoelectric materials.

Nope. One array installed on moon. An exciter to beam the laser. And The receiver with arrays of batteries on earth. Rest the distribution on earth will be normal. Receiver will be like Nuclear or thermal plant (just an analogy).

Batteries are inefficient. Generating-transmitting-regenerating has to be realtime, supported by grids for distribution. For a standalone system, like a space colony, battery might be an option, not for earth.

 

[Chronos]

but didnt entine said that we can nvr reach the speed of light ??

I think there are places in the universe where Eimstein's theory of relativity doesn't hold. Like a black hole I think.

Someone correct me on this.

 

[KRAIT]

Batteries are inefficient. Generating-transmitting-regenerating has to be realtime, supported by grids for distribution. For a standalone system, like a space colony, battery might be an option, not for earth.

Array of batteries for space colony or on moon. But for earth, one can use anything. We just need some sort of energy storing device on earth. Distribution is not a problem.

Similar situation arises for harnessing electricity from lightening. A method is already patented. It uses same concept of RC circuit. The problem they have is uncertainty of where lightening will strike. But it an be created artificially using artificial electric gradient or thermal gradient to focus the lightening at particular spot.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Has anyone read about the crazy Japanese idea of using superconductors to generate magnetic field on Mars and Moon, enabling them to sustain an atmosphere.

Epitome of Terraforming, if you guys are interested.

 

[Bilal.]

I think there are places in the universe where Eimstein's theory of relativity doesn't hold. Like a black hole I think.

Someone correct me on this.

True, but warp drive does not violate the speed of light limit because it's not the craft that's moving fast but space-time itself like a conveyor belt.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Array of batteries for space colony or on moon. But for earth, one can use anything. We just need some sort of energy storing device on earth. Distribution is not a problem.

Similar situation arises for harnessing electricity from lightening. A method is already patented. It uses same concept of RC circuit. The problem they have is uncertainty of where lightening will strike. But it an be created artificially using artificial electric gradient or thermal gradient to focus the lightening at particular spot.

At present form, batteries are out of question. My ex-lecturer is working on Carbon Nanotube enhanced super capacitors in his PhD. That opens up many possibilities. And on earth, grid is the only solution.

True, but warp drive does not violate the speed of light limit because it's not the craft that's moving fast but space-time itself like a conveyor belt.

Even on the event horizon, Einsteins laws are invalid. And as per the latest studies, even Schrodinger's equation is defunct in certain discrete conditions.