INVOLVEMENT IN SPS Bernard Stein National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation became involved in the SPS Assessment through the Congressional Authorization Act for fiscal 1979. One of the provisions of that act stated that the Director of the National Science Foundation, in consultation with public and private individuals and organizations is authorized to determine the need to provide support for a study of the feasibility of transmitting solar energy to earth by using orbital structures manufactured from lunar or asteroidal materials. An affirmative determination led the Director of NSF to initiate discussions with DOE and NAS expanding the framework of contacts which had been previously initiated by DOE with NAS in an attempt to enlist the Academy's capabilities in the SPS assessment effort. The subsequent tripartite discussions resulted in an agreement by the Academy to participate as an independent reviewer of the SPS concept through its National Research Council Environmental Studies Board. This Board submitted a study proposal to NSF which, as accepted, contained six main elements: (1) a review of studies in environmental, technical, socioeconomic and international aspects of the concept of satellite power systems; (2) a comparison of the satellite power systems with other energy sources and associated conversion processes; (3) the identification of critical scientific and technical issues in evaluation of the SPS concept; (4) the identification of omissions in the DOE SPS assessment; (5) provision of a critique of final results of the DOE assessment, and (6) the examination of the feasibility of using lunar and asteroidal materials in the construction of orbiting structures. Approval of the proposal led to a two year contract between the Academy and NSF commending 1 July 1979. While NSF remains the sole executive agent in the exercise of authority derived from the provisions of the contract, funds are provided by both NSF and DOE; both agencies receive interim reports and will receive a final report on the Academy's study. Beyond NSF's role in the process of energy policy formulation the Academy study points up another issue — mainly the user benefits in connection with other NSF activities. The identification of potentially promising scientific and technological initiatives can be expected to indicate areas of opportunity in the fields of basic research. Translated into research proposals, there is good reason to believe that NSF would be counted among those federal agencies that will provide support for the execution of the more interesting of the proposed efforts. NSF will, of course, be especially concerned by the impact which the implementation or even testing of the SPS concept would make on existing areas of scientific research. Here we can immediately think of radio astronomy but there are others as well. Another, and perhaps somewhat less pressing but no less important consideration, is the assessment of the impacts of SPS on the society and the environment. Here NSF feels the Academy study is an experiment in the study of consequences of technological efforts that may have some relevance to many scientific research activities. This is a brief legislative and administrative history of how the National Science Foundation came to SPS and how NSF might benefit from the considerable effort which the Academy is making to the exploration of future energy choices. Dr. John Richardson, the principal Academy staff official responsible for the SPS study, will describe how the Academy and National Research Council has organized the study and speak of activities that have been or soon will be started.
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