DABEL5
Why 28nm
Cutting-edge 3nm can't be made without ASML's monopoly EUV — impossible in space. 28nm needs only ArF, and Google TPU v1 proved 92 TOPS at that node. Silicon comes from smelting slag, and space itself is the cleanroom.
Self-Replication
Why Molten Metal, Not Batteries
A Dyson module is a solar thermal power plant — store heat directly as molten Fe-Ni in zero-g. ~145 Wh/kg with latent heat, infinite cycles, all from asteroid ore.
Why Iron-Nickel Batteries, Not Lithium-Ion
There's no lithium on asteroids, you can't swap batteries every 10 years in space, and you can't put out a fire in vacuum. Iron-nickel batteries are made from asteroid smelting byproducts, last 30-50 years, and after full charge they produce hydrogen and oxygen.
Why Turbines, Not Solar Panels
Solar panels and turbines both convert sunlight to electricity at ~30% efficiency in space. But turbines cascade the remaining 70% as useful heat, can be built from asteroid materials, and are field-serviceable — making them the only option for a self-replicating Dyson swarm.
Why L5, Not Near the Sun
The standard Dyson swarm scenario assumes dismantling Mercury near the Sun. But what if you use asteroid resources and build at Sun-Earth L5 instead? Here are the calculations.