The assessment process has been designed to facilitate a continuing face- to-face exchange between those involved in the systems definition and technical design investigations, the environmental, societal and comparative assessment efforts. This process is iterative. It recognizes the different groups sometimes have contradictory goals and objectives. It has attempted to manage these potential conflicts by trying to determine at first where they agree and from thence, insuring that as information is obtained, it is immediately supplied to all as part of an overall strategy. Thus, if an environmental concern is defined, this concern can then be discussed in detail with the system designers and technologists to see if a change in the technology could eliminate or mitigate the concern. This is resulting in a most effective working relationship between the individuals involved in the assessment of the SPS concept. The systems definition starts with a reference system from which technical issues may be clearly defined, critical supporting investigations conducted and the results fed back into the systems definition activities. As new concepts and emerging technologies such as lasers or solid state microwaves are identified, new reference systems are configured which again go through the cycle of defining technical issues and carrying on the detailed research. This is aimed at developing a technically preferred system concept. At the same time, the information developed acts as a point of departure to permit the beginning of the overall participatory technology process designed to tie the systems definition activities and the environmental, societal and comparative assessments together. But, most importantly, this process promotes public participation in the formulation of research questions as well as in the review of research findings. The Participatory Technology Process (shown in Fig. 2) starts with the reference system design and the findings from critical supporting investigation. Workshops and expert peer groups scope and define the key issues and concerns vis-a-vis the reference system design. In addition, NASA has conducted a series of in-depth peer review technical workshops covering the major SPS technologies such as large space structures and controls and transportation systems. Assessments or experiments are then conducted. The resultant reports are peer-reviewed. This is followed by presentation of the findings of these studies at periodic program review meetings such as this week's meeting. Thus, all interest groups may participate in monitoring the progress of SPS research activities. The effects of the peer reviews and the program reviews have resulted in significantly improved reports. Through standard distribution, approximately 3,000 copies of each report is disseminated to university libraries, industrial, governmental and environmental organizations and individuals both here and abroad. To increase public participation in the SPS assessment and to identify and respond to public concerns, a public outreach experiment was conducted. This experiment solicited comments from 9000 individuals: 3000 from each of three diverse public groups. Each of the three groups (The Forum for the
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