are required for use as raw material. The remaining mass of 5 t from each yields which is used for mass driver reaction engine reaction mass. The mass driver reaction engine requires 1050 t reaction mass, so more are required, for a total of 13 + 29 = 42. Only 10 shuttle flights are used for payload, so 42 - 10 = 32 external tanks are provided from shuttle flights for purposes other than this plan. Since this source yields 10 tanks per year, it takes to supply them. The construction of equipment in low earth orbit takes All collection of external tanks was complete at month 38.4, so the construction will be scheduled to be complete at month 39, which will also be the time when the mass driver reaction engine departs low earth orbit. Since construction takes 18 months, it must begin at month 39 - 18 = 21. The space manufacturing facility has mass 58 t, so requires 2 shuttle launches, with 2 t capacity remaining for raw material. Additional raw material should be supplied before space manufacturing facility operation begins, and enough is made available if payload launch begins 3 months before construction begins, or at month 21 - 3 = 18, at the rate of 2 flights per month. As in the extended S.S.I. plan with pure self-reproduction, the time between departure from low earth orbit and arrival of the first solar power satellite at geosynchronous orbit is 6 +25+ 3 + 12 + 5 = 51 mo., so the first solar power satellite arrives at geosynchronous orbit at month 39 + 51 = 90 = 7 yr., 6 mo. Costs Research is performed on the same equipment as in the extended S.S.I. plan with pure self-reproduction.
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