The resulting mix, and hence the exact opportunity costs, will be decided in a rather dynamic fashion over time by economic and political factors that can scarcely be foreseen now. The SPS would come on line gradually (10 GW per year are currently envisaged) and would generally meet increasing demands or replace obsolete generating capacity. IV.4 Who will be the economic beneficiaries of the SPS? The impression is that only aerospace companies and their workers will benefit. The aerospace industry may be the most visible group to benefit from the SPS. Other sectors, although less visible, would significantly benefit; the SPS would not be developed by the aerospace industry alone. All industries involved in the SPS, and their employees would benefit from the SPS. Affected industries include chemicals and allied products, mining, primary metals, semi-conductors, space vehicle manufacture, ground operations and supporting services. Of the large amount of solid material required for an SPS system, over 90 percent is in the ground based rectenna and approximately 6 percent is in the launch site complexes. Only 2.4 percent is in the SPS satellites, and space transportation system. Of the labor required to build, operate and maintain and repair the SPS system, more than 99 percent can be classified as belonging to conventional occupations and industri^ ^sted above, and less than 1 percent work in the space environment. * Other industries to directly benefit would include those who own land to be used for rectenna and launch sites, finance and manage an SPS, and distribute SPS power (utilities). Communities and individuals would benefit indirectly, through an economic multiplier effect that accompanies any economic development. Each individual directly benefitting would, in turn, distribute benefits to others directly. Significantly, all power users would benefit if the SPS can provide cheap, reliable electric power. In 43''Satellite Power System (SPS) Environmental Impacts-Preliminary Assessment,” NASA/JPL, April 1, 1978. 44 "Satellite Power System (SPS) Preliminary Resources Assessment," Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology, JPL, August 7, 1978.
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