mecko23

Why in this case would it cause significant problems? Are you referring to the heating (that would make sense with such a large surface area of panels)? Concerning cooling- with such short times in eclipse I can’t imagine that it would have enough time to have cooling issues beyond flexing of the superstructure (if made from metals). Be interested to hear though if I’m missing something.

As to power disappearing with an adequately geographically integrated grid I don’t forsee that as really too much of a problem. Currently the grid deals with short term outs fairly well especially if they are planned for months in advance.

Hmm, well I totally understand how it drives spacecraft design and I don’t know off the top of my head the length of greatest eclipse but it cannot be greater than a small fraction of the period (upwards of 1/12). This is significant for a spacecraft itself but as far as a regionally integrated power grid is concerned it is a clear improvement over current solar PV systems. I get that there maybe some fatigue here with the idea and blue sky optimism that comes with SBSP, I think there are valid criticisms to level at it orbit selection and corresponding ground tracks and eclipses are not one.

Respectfully, I believe you are inaccurate on both accounts, sun synchronous orbits (SSO) only have no eclipse if their orbital plane is within a very degrees of the terminator, this of course widens with altitude but there exists far more possible SSOs with eclipses than without. Secondly with GEOs as with any very high altitude orbit the eclipse time trends towards zero so effectively at a GEO the eclipse time is minimal compared to the illuminated time. Of note the length for the eclipse time of GEO varies throughout the year.