self-interest to spread the R&D costs among the nations of the world. Such policy would further undercut any argument by equatorial countries that the current system is inequitable because the benefits of outer space industrialization would accrue to both space and non-space powers. The huge power supply that the SPS would develop and the strategic position of the geostationary orbit make the system attractive for some military applications and also vulnerable to attack. Thus, militarily, the SPS becomes a factor in international relations. One has to distinguish between aggressive and supportive military applications to properly assess the impact. There are potential weapons capabilities which would accommodate SPS power output. The SPS could also be used to relay power to other military installations (such as satellites, aircraft, or remote terrestrial stations) or to function as a platform in a manned or unmanned mode for surveillance, repair, etc. Whether or not the SPS serves a military function, it would be attractive as a target. The space segment of the SPS would be vulnerable to an energy with space capabilities but relatively invulnerable to saboteurs or terrorists. The ground segment of the SPS would pose no more attractive a target to saboteurs, terrorists or military attack than other major industrial complexes. However, since the rectenna site would control its assigned satellite to some degree, strong protective measures are indicated. An SPS with offensive or defensive capabilities would have an unsettling impact on international relations. International agreements including resident inspection teams at the satellites would probably be required to minimize vulnerability, and ensure the nonmilitarization of the SPS. The possible benefits of an SPS program are not just national in scope. It is an inherently international energy concept in that it would utilize resources that are within the international domain (e.g., outer space and the radio frequency spectrum) and would have some impact on the global environment. In this sense foreign involvement is inevitable. But beyond this, the energy potential of the SPS is global in nature. International participation in its development would enhance this potential and contribute to the improvement of international relations. A strategy for international participation in the SPS program has been prepared by (1) assessing the current international status of the SPS in terms of foreign interests, programs and recommendations; (2) integrating the findings of previous investigators who have worked on international SPS issues; (3) developing strategy guidelines based on case studies of existing, large international organizations; and, (4) putting all this information together to develop options within the context of world political/legal climate and agency concerns. Public Concerns The preliminary assessment of public concerns focused on two specific and two general issues. The specific issues were relocation and centralization/ decentralization. The general issues were public acceptance and student participation. The general studies were intended to develop preliminary public perspectives on the acceptability of the SPS concept and to develop methods for disseminating SPS information to the college community. The issue of centralization is an important topic for investigation on the basis that: (a) there
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==