III. ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION Several major military implications were identified during the survey of relevant literature and related work. Results of an analysis of these implications are discussed in the following paragraphs. 3.1 WEAPON AND MILITARY PREPAREDNESS IMPLICATIONS The Satellite Power System (SPS) is designed to provide power for peaceful pursuits. As the SPS grows and is relied on by the United States as one of its prime sources of power, it will become a potential military target. Its significance as a potential target will grow in relation to the increasing power demands that it fills. Issues concerning the SPS as a weapon and/or a base for weapons, and as a source for fuel to the military, will need to be considered when scheduling its development and deployment. 3.1.1 Weapon Considerations As discussed previously, the SPS can be used as an electronic warfare weapon, an energy-beaming weapon, and a powered platform for weapons and weapon system segments. 3.1.1.1 Electronic Warfare Weapon During normal operation of the Microwave Power Transmission Subsystem (MPTS), noise could be introduced to discriminate against or to render ineffective transmissions in selected bands. During hostile periods, the beam could be defocused to affect a larger area; selected communications or other transmissions over an entire hemisphere could be degraded or blocked. Friendly forces having control of the beam could control noise content, beam spread, and times of noise transmissions. Microwave densities, from the defocused microwave beam, though significant when compared with the sensitivities of many microwave receivers, would be tolerable in terms of the levels (short-term and intermittent) that would be detrimental to health and the public welfare. For example, the microwave power from one 5-GW SPS radiated evenly over the projected area of one earth -5 2 hemisphere results in a density of approximately 5 x 10 W/m . 3.1.1.2 Energy-Beaming Weapon The familiarity of the general public with the concepts of high-energy laser (and particle) beams and their frequently cited ability to distribute deadliness and/or destruction has raised the question of the potential use of SPS power beams as weapons. For example, a target in a circular orbit below and 10,000 km from
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