7. The solar panels for use on the mass driver reaction engine are constructed next, and are used to provide enough power to counteract the loss of sunlight caused by the shadowing of the space manufacturing facility by the earth during part of its orbit. It is assumed that no reduction in construction rate by the space manufacturing facility results. Storage of power may have to be provided additionally. 8. The composition of the raw materials is selected so that all of the space manufacturing throughput results in equipment, instead of only one-third, which is the case for lunar soil. Scheduling Equipment which is constructed by the space manufacturing facility in low earth orbit is Since no aluminum from external tanks is available until the tank powderer is finished, all of its mass is provided by shuttle payload. The remaining mass constructed in low earth orbit is 571 t - 25 t = 546 t, and 2/3 • 546 t = 364 t is provided from shuttle external tanks. The mass of raw materials brought as payload on the shuttle is thus 546 t - 3641 = 182 t. The shuttle payload is therefore
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