PREFACE In 1968 Dr. Peter Glaser proposed a solar photovoltaic satellite for the generation of electric power to be used on earth. Since that time, this system has been developed and refined by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and by various contractors. In 1977 a Satellite Power System (SPS) Concept Development and Evaluation Program Plan (D0E/ET-0034, February 1978) was developed jointly by NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE). As a part of this plan, NASA, with the assistance of contractors, developed a preliminary reference system (Satellite Power System Concept Development and Evaluation Program, Reference System Report, D0E/ER-0023, October 1978), for use in assessment and feasibility studies. The DOE has responsibility for coordinating assessments of SPS, including those of effects on the environment. One of the questions with respect to environmental effects of SPS has been whether reflected light from spacecraft and space structures could have undesirable effects on the human eye, plants or animals. SPS manufacture and operation would involve the construction of a staging base in low earth orbit (LEO) and of a construction base and satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Personnel and materials would be transported to LEO by personnel launch vehicles (PLV) and heavy-lift launch vehicles (HHLV), respectively. Then they would be transported to GEO by orbital transfer vehicles (OTV) which would be built at LEO. All the vehicles, the construction bases, and the satellites would have elements which might reflect sunlight to earth.
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