Off-world Power Generation: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 21:03, 31 August 2026

Off-world Power Generation is a long-term project to develop autonomous in-space self-assembly: a fleet of identical robotic modules that find each other, maneuver, dock, and self-assemble a larger structure — the target application being self-assembling solar arrays at Sun–Earth L2. The hard, unsolved 90% of that problem is autonomy (relative navigation, docking, growth sequencing, fault recovery), and it does not need orbit to be developed — it needs a place where free-floating dynamics are cheap. This project builds that place on a desktop, publishes everything openly, and places its methods in the public domain as dated prior art.

Status (updated 2026-08)

Air-bearing testbed built: 10-cm modules float on 6 mm float glass over a custom torsion-box bed, fine-leveled to 0.02° (target was <0.05°) — a planar (3-DOF) microgravity analogue.
Simulation campaign complete: a closed-loop planar simulator plus perception, comms, and L2-navigation studies produced the findings behind the design — terminal docking precision is owned by the magnetic-capture envelope rather than the controller; multi-fiducial fusion is the dominant self-localization win; measured air/energy budgets per docking maneuver. The flight-portable autonomy code is the same code the testbed runs.
Module v1 hardware received: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W + wide camera (AprilTag relative pose), 8× Clippard solenoid valves (cold-gas thrusters), porous-graphite air bearings in 3D-printed housings, magnetic capture. Total project hardware spend to date: ≈ $1,500.
Defensive publication live (2026-06-20): the autonomy, docking, slot-claiming, growth, and L2 relative-navigation methods are public-domain prior art — the design space stays open for everyone.
Next milestone (Phase B): 10/10 repeatable autonomous docks between two modules on the testbed.

Motivation: why a Nebraska-sized array

Premise

<Earth>   <-clearsky-burst-laser--   <satellite>

Goal

Near-earth or Lagrange-point solar array about the size of Nebraska to power the globe.

Calculations:

Energy requirement of NYC: ~3000 trillion BTU in 2016 = 3000 trillion btu / 365 days = 3.4E+11 btu/hr = 1.0036680479e+11 watts = 100 GW
PV power stations collect more power than solar thermal power stations. They seem to average ~3 MW/km^2 (throwing out 2 ridiculous outliers).
Traditional single-junction cells have a maximum theoretical efficiency of 33.16% more. In reality it is around 18.7%.
A 65"x39" (1.64 m^2) solar panel made in 2018 produces ~320W.
About 48% of solar energy hitting the Earth reaches the surface. Perhaps optimistic, but we will divide by .48 to get energy-in-space vs on-earth.
Approximate energy absorbable by a solar panel in space: 320W / 1.64m^2 / .48% = 400W/m^2 in space
Approximate required size of a solar array "near Earth" (including l1) to power NYC: 100GW / 400W/m^s = 250 sq km
1 out of every 811 humans on earth live in NYC, so 250 sq km dish * 811 (assuming every human uses as much energy as a New Yorker) requires a solar array of only around 200,000 sq km - the size of Nebraska - to power the globe. A physicist confirms on the back of an envelope that the area needed will be "near-(UK)-country-sized".

The long road

Keep it as simple as possible, but no less.

We need to optimize free space power transmission in lab conditions using currently-available consumer electronics.
We need to create a solar panel array with robotics that can self-assemble. (← the current focus — see Status above)
We need robotics that can precisely and safely aim laser energy to a distant target using a real-time handshaking protocol.
We need to determine the cheapest possible way to launch a payload from Earth and navigate it to a final stable destination (lagrange or Earth orbit).
We need to determine the requirements to receive laser power at an Earth-based power plant.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-=== Concept ===
+'''Off-world Power Generation''' is a long-term project to develop '''autonomous
+in-space self-assembly''': a fleet of identical robotic modules that find each
+other, maneuver, dock, and self-assemble a larger structure — the target
+application being '''self-assembling solar arrays at Sun–Earth L2'''. The hard,
+unsolved 90% of that problem is autonomy (relative navigation, docking, growth
+sequencing, fault recovery), and it does not need orbit to be developed — it
+needs a place where free-floating dynamics are cheap. This project builds that
+place on a desktop, publishes everything openly, and places its methods in the
+public domain as [[Off-world Power Generation Lab 5: Robotic self-assembly#Defensive Publication: Autonomous In-Space Self-Assembly of Modular Structures|dated prior art]].
-Premise:
+== Status (updated 2026-08) ==
-* <Earth> <-clearsky-burst-laser-- <Earth-orbit satellite>
-Less likely:
+* '''[[Off-world Power Generation Air-Bearing Testbed|Air-bearing testbed]] built:''' 10-cm modules float on 6 mm float glass over a custom torsion-box bed, fine-leveled to '''0.02°''' (target was <0.05°) — a planar (3-DOF) microgravity analogue.
-* <Earth> <-clearsky-burst-laser-- <L1 solar array>
+* '''Simulation campaign complete:''' a closed-loop planar simulator plus perception, comms, and L2-navigation studies produced the findings behind the design — terminal docking precision is owned by the magnetic-capture envelope rather than the controller; multi-fiducial fusion is the dominant self-localization win; measured air/energy budgets per docking maneuver. The flight-portable autonomy code is the same code the testbed runs.
-* <Earth> <-microwave-- <Earth-orbit satellite> <-laser-- <Earth's moon> <-laser-- <L1 solar array>
+* '''Module v1 hardware received:''' Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W + wide camera (AprilTag relative pose), 8× Clippard solenoid valves (cold-gas thrusters), porous-graphite air bearings in 3D-printed housings, magnetic capture. Total project hardware spend to date: ≈ $1,500.
-* <Earth> <-clearsky-burst-laser-- <Earth's moon> <-laser-- <L1 solar array>
+* '''Defensive publication live''' ([[Off-world Power Generation Lab 5: Robotic self-assembly#Defensive Publication: Autonomous In-Space Self-Assembly of Modular Structures|2026-06-20]]): the autonomy, docking, slot-claiming, growth, and L2 relative-navigation methods are public-domain prior art — the design space stays open for everyone.
-* <Earth-orbit satellite> <- <Earth's moon>
+* '''Next milestone (Phase B):''' 10/10 repeatable autonomous docks between two modules on the testbed.
-* <Earth's moon> <- <Earth-Sol Lagrange-point solar array>
-Given:
+== The labs ==
-* earth to moon: 238,900 miles
-* there are [https://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission/observatory_l2.html four lagrange points] that provide constant sun exposure at predictable locations
-* l1 to earth/moon: 1 million miles
-* A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit geosynchronous orbit] takes one sidereal day, and is 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above the Earth's surface. Those closer to Earth orbit faster than Earth rotates, so from Earth, they appear to move eastward while those that orbit beyond geosynchronous distances appear to move westward.
-* other interesting earth orbits: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit low] goes across poles, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_Earth_orbit medium] used by GPS, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Earth_orbit high] is slow and crawls west, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molniya_orbit Molniya] spends more time away from equator; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_Earth_orbit#/media/File:Orbitalaltitudes.jpg relative distances diagram]
-* the sun primarily produces visible light (not microwaves or gamma...)
-* laser transmission is more efficient than microwave, except where earth's atmosphere interferes
-* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_solar_power current status]: A Gigawatt-range microwave system would weigh ~80,000 tons (prohibitively expensive) [https://www.energy.gov/articles/space-based-solar-power more] [https://e-reports-ext.llnl.gov/pdf/372187.pdf lots more]
-* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell_efficiency Solar cell efficiency]
-Laser transmit antenna in space: 1 meter diameter per GW
+=== [[Off-world Power Generation Air-Bearing Testbed|Air-bearing testbed]] ===
-Receive: Several hundred meters across
+The shared apparatus: float-glass running surface, torsion-box bed, 3-point
+kinematic leveling, air-bearing modules. Underlies Labs 3–5.
-Targeting the energy requirement of NYC:
+=== [[Off-world Power Generation Lab 3: Propulsive navigation|Lab 3: Propulsive navigation]] ===
-* Power is measured in Newton-meters per second or Joules per second or Watts.
-* ~3000 trillion BTU in 2016 = 3000 trillion btu / 365 days = 3.4E+11 btu/hr = 1.0036680479e+11 watts = 100 GW
-PV energy collection
+=== [[Off-world Power Generation Lab 4: Moment control|Lab 4: Moment control]] ===
+=== [[Off-world Power Generation Lab 5: Robotic self-assembly|Lab 5: Robotic self-assembly]] ===
+The core autonomy work, including the
+[[Off-world Power Generation Lab 5: Robotic self-assembly#Defensive Publication: Autonomous In-Space Self-Assembly of Modular Structures|defensive publication]]
+(2026) disclosing the project's in-space self-assembly autonomy, docking
+guidance, distributed slot-claiming, growth logic, and L2 relative-navigation
+methods as public-domain prior art.
+== Motivation: why a Nebraska-sized array ==
+==== Premise ====
+ <Earth>   <-clearsky-burst-laser--   <satellite>
+==== Goal ====
+Near-earth or Lagrange-point solar array about the size of Nebraska to power the globe.
+Calculations:
+* Energy requirement of NYC: ~3000 trillion BTU in 2016 = 3000 trillion btu / 365 days = 3.4E+11 btu/hr = 1.0036680479e+11 watts = 100 GW
 * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photovoltaic_power_stations PV power stations] collect more power than [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_solar_thermal_power_stations solar thermal power stations].  They seem to average ~3 MW/km^2 (throwing out 2 ridiculous outliers).
 * Traditional single-junction cells have a maximum theoretical efficiency of 33.16% [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell_efficiency more].  In reality it is around [https://www.solarpowerrocks.com/solar-basics/how-much-electricity-does-a-solar-panel-produce/#top10 18.7%].
@@ Line 37: / Line 52: @@
 * Approximate energy absorbable by a solar panel in space: 320W / 1.64m^2 / .48% = 400W/m^2 in space
 * Approximate required size of a solar array "near Earth" (including l1) to power NYC: 100GW / 400W/m^s = 250 sq km
-* Dan: 1 out of every 811 humans on earth live in NYC, so 250 sq km dish * 811 (assuming every human uses as much energy as a New Yorker) requires a solar array of only around 200,000 sq km - the size of Nebraska - to power the globe.
+* 1 out of every 811 humans on earth live in NYC, so 250 sq km dish * 811 (assuming every human uses as much energy as a New Yorker) requires a solar array of only around 200,000 sq km - the size of Nebraska - to power the globe.  A physicist confirms on the back of an envelope that the area needed [https://youtu.be/E0W1ZZYIV8o will be "near-(UK)-country-sized"].
-=== Conclusion ===
+==== The long road ====
 Keep it as simple as possible, but no less.
 * We need to optimize free space power transmission in lab conditions using currently-available consumer electronics.
-* We need to create a solar panel array with robotics that can self-assemble.
+* We need to create a solar panel array with robotics that can self-assemble. ''(← the current focus — see Status above)''
 * We need robotics that can precisely and safely aim laser energy to a distant target using a real-time handshaking protocol.
 * We need to determine the cheapest possible way to launch a payload from Earth and navigate it to a final stable destination (lagrange or Earth orbit).
 * We need to determine the requirements to receive laser power at an Earth-based power plant.
-* We need to crowdfund the project.
+== Archive ==
 === [[Off-world Power Generation Research|Research]] ===
@@ Line 55: / Line 71: @@
 === [[Off-world Power Generation Crowdfunding|Crowdfunding]] ===
+=== [[Off-world Power Generation Patrons|Patrons]] ===