present level. ESA will continue system studies with the major aim of investigating possibilities for reducing the surface area needed for rectennas. ESA is also planning to study the impact that an SPS technology and development programme would have on the European space programme. A major step in such an analysis will be the selection of areas for potential European activities, assuming that Europe would participate in a joint international programme. Typical selection criteria for early programme phases would be: • that results are also applicable to other European space programmes • that Europe has a significant technological advantage in a subject • that the results of the activity are very important for SPS programme decisions in Europe • that a high production volume with a large "added value" could be expected. Any future technological research in Europe can make use of a well-established infrastructure, both in space and in energy technology. Europe's space programmes started more than fifteen years ago and the national and international budgets for space research and technology are presently of the order of $1,150 million per year. European space activities embrace the whole spectrum of space technology, supporting complex scientific missions, satellite communications, spacecraft, launcher development and the manned Spacelab. (11). The availability of the Ariane launch site at Kourou, French Guyana, which is ideally situated for launches into geostationary orbit, might prove particularly interesting. The low latitude and low population density associated with this site could represent substantial advantages for an SPS programme. (Figure 5). Figure 9 - European launch site, Kourou, French Guyana
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