As also a systems Engineer with experience in the Space industry, this sounds very exciting to me too, but I am guessing by the way it is presented that the intention is to raise funds for the project by conventional investment.
If the funds are to be supplied by the conventional economy, (e.g. by investor funding seeking maximum ROI), then it has to be fuelled by the energy of Earth, with the usual environmental cost, thus all funds limited and all corners cut, with the usual knock-on effect of increased technical risk.
However, if we accept solar powered proof-of-work tokens are more valuable than conventional money, as we can see from the example of Bitcoin in markets, then we start to see how money can be generated from solar infrastructure, not only to grow and sustain the infrastructere, but to limitlessly fund projects like this one.
So perhaps the best way to raise funds for projecdts like this, is to create firstly a solar infrastructure development, which can supply all of the expenditure needed for the project.
More on how it works is in this story if you are interested and haven't seen before :-
