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To: Blood of Tyrants

You can concentrate a helluva lot of light with mirrors. Ask Archemides. There was actually a French solar plant where the U.S. tested components for resistance to nuclear blast effects, “thermal shock”. They rigged the focal point with a fast shutter and than, wham, opened it up for a couple of seconds to see how the unit under test survived the blast.

Another post pointed out the this “draws in light from space”. Basically a graviational lens is just a lens, albeit lossless. Reflective/refractive optics don’t get me excited, even if it’s refraction based on < hushed and awed tones> General Relativity.


26 posted on 10/14/2009 12:59:39 PM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (The People have abdicated our duties; ... and anxiously hope for just two things: bread and circuses)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

I think that the advantage is the physical size. Also you would not have the problems associated with dirty, fragile mirrors which have to be moved periodically for optimum light reflection.


27 posted on 10/14/2009 1:05:02 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (The Second Amendment. Don't MAKE me use it.)
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