8.0 SPS DEVELOPMENT 8.1 DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS SPS development as defined here culminates upon the achievement of: • successful operation of a full-size orbital power generation system and a full size microwave power transmission system (MPTS) of "ready- for-production" configurations. • successful operation of all space transportation systems, including the heavy lift launch vehicle (HLLV), crew rotation vehicles and a system for transfer to geosynchronous orbit (either by "conventional" chemical orbit transfer vehicles or by electric "self-power" transfer). • successful operation of all orbital production and support facilities (but not necessarily in the quantities required for full SPS production). This is to be contrasted with the current SPS status, which essentially consists of system concepts established by analytical studies, plus the NASA/JPL MPTS tests. 8.2 RECOMMENDED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM The program recommended here consists of four parts: I Expanded Analysis and Ground Experiments II Shuttle Based Demonstrations III Precursor System Development & Demonstration IV Operational System Development & Demonstration x The following sections expand upon these four program parts. 8.3 EXPANDED ANALYSIS AND GROUND EXPERIMENTS (PART I) As a minimum, the following elements should be included: I. Expanded system analysis (at perhaps five to 10 times the CY 1977 funding level) to allow concept selection and detailed definition. 2. Tests of the geosynchronous orbit environment (as now known) upon candidate materials, solar cells, etc. Repeated cycles of solar cell expo- sure/annealing should be included. Life of components in this environment should be predicted. 3. Ground tests of a phased-array transmitter phase locked to the pilot transmitter of a small rectenna (JPL "billboard"). 4. Development tests of automated space production systems should begin, possibly in neutral buoyancy tanks. 5. Tests of microwave effects on flora and fauna should begin, to generate data necessary for the establishment of microwave standards. 6. Tests of ionospheric heating effects by ground- based transmission of a high power beam. 8. 4 SHUTTLE BASED DEMONSTRATIONS (PART II) As the shuttle becomes available, the following program elements should be undertaken: 1. Launch to geosynchronous orbit (possibly by IUS) of long duration experiments to fix precisely the geosynchronous orbit environment (meteoroids, radiation, etc.). 2. Launch to geosynchronous orbit (possibly by IUS) of one or more payloads to conduct interferometric transmissions to a network of ground receivers to evaluate MPTS operation through the ionosphere. 3. Tests of automated beam machines and other aspects of large area, in-space fabrication, including development of timelines, manning requirements, need for lighting, etc. 4. Tests of full scale candidate microwave power transmitter "tubes." 5. Tests to determine potential effects of low orbit operations, such as thermal cycles, due to repeated occultations.
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