1958 NASA Paper And Our Science Fair Project

I thought this a neat document while researching rocket motors.  I happened to read the following couple pages and found on this page: in regards to solar cells... this quote:

Therefore one improvement would be to reduce the reflectivity of the cell; another would be to make the cells thinner. Another possibility might be to actually concentrate solar energy through a lightweight plastic lens. It would be desirable to develop cells for high-temperature operation. Temperature control problems for solar cells have been investigated in the U.S.S.R. for satellite applications.

I guess we are 2011-1958=53 years late on this "possibility" ;-) Looks like the Russians were already onto our temperature control issue.  Dude... I was born in the wrong time period!  I should have been in either the space race or the hippie revolution... or both!  I had to be in the "internet" era.  Boring!

PS: I like how they said "Another possibility might be to ACTUALLY concentrate solar energy..."  - as if it were some crazy idea.

PPS: Here's the solar panel project.