1980 Solar Power Satellite Program Review

markets of 10,000 mt by 2000 which may grow by several factors beyond this period dwarfing SPS production requirements. If polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber would be used as the starting material for graphite fiber production, then industrial capacity would be adequate as it would also serve other major markets. If high modulus graphite fibers would be required for the composite structure, a substantial increase in industrial capacity would be required because of the very limited production of rayon fiber used as the starting material. CONCLUSION Production requirements for the SPS photovoltaic system will have the greatest industrial impacts and result in the creation of a new industry sector which could also serve the terrestrial photovoltaic market. The production requirement for ion engines and dipole rectifiers, although different than those of existing industries, are comparable to a single major production facility in the consumer electronics or automobile industries. Microwave generators and graphite composite material requirements could be integrated with a growing industrial production capacity already serving other markets if PAN fibers could be used. The impacts on U. S. industry of the SPS implementation scenario could be further reduced if cooperative arrangements are made with other countries who may be participants in an international SPS project to produce either subsystems or supply components or materials required for SPS production. COMPARISON OF SPS PHOTOVOLTAIC PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS WITH TERRESTRIAL MARKET GROWTH SCENARIOS Figure 1.

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