1980 Solar Power Satellite Program Review

CONCLUSIONS There is an appreciation in Europe that the SPS concept could be developed by the US (or the USSR) without us, but not by us without the US! Nevertheless, many aspects of the system require international agreement, which is eased by international participation. Such participation involves consideration of international requirements - not forgetting the "Third World"! As with all major projects, particularly Energy projects, the principal concerns are environmental, and conditions and priorities may vary in different parts of the world. System designs need to be flexible to meet differing requirements. Flexibility is also the keynote to meet the needs of the Utilities, who have a contractual responsibility to their customers. The principal obstacle to political and public acceptability is the Imagination Gap (akin to Gordon Woodcock's Concept Shock). Space and Energy have heretofore been separate concepts; those concerned with Space projects find the scale of SPS unbelievable, while those concerned with Energy can swallow the numbers but class Space with Science Fiction! Until these points of view are brought together, the task of engendering the necessary political and economic will to bring SPS to pass will continue to be a difficult one.

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