Reconciling Published Cost Estimates
Why do published estimates for space solar power range from under $50 to more than $1,500 per megawatt-hour?
Chapter summary
because they assume very different launch prices, masses, hardware costs, lives and financing, and the cost of electricity is roughly proportional to the product of launch price and mass.
Key takeaways
- 1
NASA's 2024 baseline, $610 and $1,590 per MWh, used Starship at $100 million a launch, conservative hardware costs and learning, and short hardware lives.
- 2
Frazer-Nash's UK study, reported at about $48–60/MWh, assumed a mature design with low mass and cheap launch.
- 3
NASA's own favourable case reached $40–80/MWh by changing six assumptions.
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