Distributive Numeracy: Difference between revisions
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=About= | =About= | ||
Open source | Open source ecology's core work revolves around the distribution of power - as in productive power and economic power. The core question for us is - in the age of AI and automation - who ends up owning the tools of production. If the answer to this question is sound then we can have a Democratic society without existential risk. The trend today is not good, with ultimate [[Power Concentration at the Trillion Dollar Scale]]. | ||
=Quantities to Understand - Earth Scale= | |||
*From the [[Dyson Sphere]], the solar constant of 1360 W/m2 emerges. [[Dyson Swarms]] are potentially viable, but as of 2026, placing solar energy on the Earth makes most sense. There are companies working on putting datacenters in space [https://www.google.com/search?q=are+there+companies+working+on+datacenters+in+space%3F&source=chrome.ob], such as SpaceX and Google, with Nvidia redesigning for radiative cooling in space. Point: radiation takes only a fraction of a PV panel area, so it is in principle not hard. | |||
*If we use all of the current 20TW combined energy use of humanity - instead to send shit to a stable [[Lagrange Point]] such as L4 or L5 - we could send 3000 kg per second. [https://chatgpt.com/share/6a08d82c-c42c-83e8-bcff-628b94693c66] | |||
*We would need 100-200kg of fuel per kg to go to L4 [https://chatgpt.com/share/6a08d82c-c42c-83e8-bcff-628b94693c66] | |||
*At village scale, we would launch 35 tons per year (from 2 acres of PV + 400kW wind turbine) to [[LEO]], or about 1.5 tons to L4. Bottom line: even a village in a collaborative economy could engage in space travel based on energy considerations. See [[Space_Travel#Village_Space_Travel]]. | |||
*1 of 28 Merlin engines for Falcon Heavy are $1M a pop. That is the biggest cost of a rocket. [https://chatgpt.com/share/6a08dc5e-2a10-83e8-b36b-f5fdd8f45ba9], at $100M a shot for Falcon Heavy (3 Falcon 9s). | |||
Latest revision as of 21:20, 16 May 2026
About
Open source ecology's core work revolves around the distribution of power - as in productive power and economic power. The core question for us is - in the age of AI and automation - who ends up owning the tools of production. If the answer to this question is sound then we can have a Democratic society without existential risk. The trend today is not good, with ultimate Power Concentration at the Trillion Dollar Scale.
Quantities to Understand - Earth Scale
- From the Dyson Sphere, the solar constant of 1360 W/m2 emerges. Dyson Swarms are potentially viable, but as of 2026, placing solar energy on the Earth makes most sense. There are companies working on putting datacenters in space [1], such as SpaceX and Google, with Nvidia redesigning for radiative cooling in space. Point: radiation takes only a fraction of a PV panel area, so it is in principle not hard.
- If we use all of the current 20TW combined energy use of humanity - instead to send shit to a stable Lagrange Point such as L4 or L5 - we could send 3000 kg per second. [2]
- We would need 100-200kg of fuel per kg to go to L4 [3]
- At village scale, we would launch 35 tons per year (from 2 acres of PV + 400kW wind turbine) to LEO, or about 1.5 tons to L4. Bottom line: even a village in a collaborative economy could engage in space travel based on energy considerations. See Space_Travel#Village_Space_Travel.
- 1 of 28 Merlin engines for Falcon Heavy are $1M a pop. That is the biggest cost of a rocket. [4], at $100M a shot for Falcon Heavy (3 Falcon 9s).