Section IV provides a discussion of technology advancement requirements which focuses on critical questions to be resolved that affect SPS feasibility. Also, alternate technologies which are delineated in the summary of study results section, are reviewed. A summary of SPS documentation is provided in Section V to assist the reader in locating reference documents and following the flow of study results that has occurred over the past several years. This documentation summary serves as a list of references for this report. Appendix A provides a summary of systems analysis results. The information presented is based on results of the key design and operational trade-off studies conducted to date in the major areas of investigation. The data base for the analysis summaries consists of study reports and other documents from current studies as well as those prepared in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Much of the early work was performed by A. D. Little, Raytheon Corporation, Spectro- lab, Inc., Grumman Aerospace Corporation and the NASA Lewis Research Center. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory also made significant contributions to the SPS data bank, particularly in the area of microwave power transmission. The primary sources of information for the Reference System description are the systems definition reports published by Rockwell International and Boeing Aerospace Company under contract to MSFC and JSC, respectively. Appendix B provides systems descriptions resulting from the studies conducted by the Boeing Aerospace Company and Rockwell International. Background This document deals with the solar power satellite concept as illustrated in figure 3. It is a primary electrical power source that involves generating electrical power (from solar energy) in geosynchronous orbit, transmitting the power to earth via focused microwave beams, and collecting and converting the microwave beams into useful electricity on the earth's surface. This concept was suggested in 1968 ("Power from the Sun: Its Future," Dr. Peter E. Glaser, Science, Vol. 162, November 22, 1968, pp 857-861).
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