INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE SPS: U.S. POLICY ISSUES, OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES Stephen Gorove The University of Mississippi Law Center - University, Mississippi 38677 Perhaps the most important key issue that U. S. policy makers will have to face is whether the United States should internationalize the SPS and, if so, in what manner the United States should proceed. In order to arrive at a rational decision, a careful assessment must be made of the pros and cons of internationalization with reference to the totality of the basic value and institutional processes rather than on the basis of a single value or institutional alternative. Positive or negative answers may well depend on the meaning of the term "internationalization" and various possible forms which it may assume. A full-fledged analysis of the policy choice whether or not to internationalize should also take into account our experiences with other schemes of proposed internationalization, such as, for instance, the international regime governing the exploitation of the deep seabed or the resources of the Moon. Their relevance or lack of relevance with respect to the internationalization of the SPS should be clearly determined. One major conclusion of a study of pros and cons could be that, in view of the anticipated huge financial outlay required for the development of SPS, it would appear to be in the U. S. interest to have the costs of research and development spread not only domestically between government and private enterprise but also internationally among nations of the world. Another conclusion may be that such policy would appear to reflect both altruism and enlightened interest: on the one hand, solar power as a spacial resource would be used for the benefit of mankind and, on the other hand, an international pool would be cost-saving and would likely recapture and reemphasize U. S. leadership. An additional advantage of such policy would be that it would undercut any argument by the developing nations that the current system is inequitable inasmuch as the benefits of outer space utilization accrue only to the space powers. Yet another conclusion of a study of pros and cons could point to the disadvantage of sharing U. S. control over the SPS, should the United States have to accept such sharing as the price of internationalization. Once the preference for internationalization of the SPS as a U. S. policy option is established (and it is urged that it should be established soon), the United States should seriously consider taking global, near-global, regional or bilateral initiatives to pool material and human resources for the development of SPS programs. As one of its policy options, the United States could take a positive role in calling for an international pool of resources to help in the assessment of the feasibility, benefits and impediments associated with the development of satellite power systems and eventually assist in the development itself. Such scheme could include participation by all countries in some form, through their contributions to natural and human resources needed for the SPS program. Contributions could be taken into account when the eventual benefits would be reaped after the SPS system became operational. This would be to the advantage of all participating countries in that benefits would accrue commensurate to the amount of contributions. Key issues will include the criteria on the basis which human and material resources will be evaluated and also the question whether or not the total contribution by a single country or a group of countries ought to be the sole factor in determining the distribution of eventual benefits.
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