solar power satellite ?

[nbucska]

I have read about SPS -- but won't the light pressure
push it off its orbit ?

<nbucska@pcperipherals.com>

 

[luxor]

Light pressure has some effects.Just calculate the force and put it into the lagrange variationa equation to see the effect.
Basically for a satellite in orbit it gives a secular effect that push up off the orbit but it can be stabilized.
But you can also use light pressure for AOCS using a small solar sail(i think that Astrium has something like that flying in space)

 

[blahdroneblah]

As pointed out the light pressure does tend to contribute to the orbital perturbations , what is often overlooked is that the microwave power beam has a 'light pressure' all its own!