IV.8 Have other countries been approached to participate in SPS studies? If so, which ones? No formal arrangements have been made between the U.S. and foreign countries or international agencies to participate in studies sponsored by the SPS Project Office. Informal contacts have been made with the European Space Agency and several individual countries in Europe and throughout the world. Interest in the SPS concept is widespread and growing among members of the international scientific community. Individuals from Czechoslovakia, England, France, Germany, Japan and Russia have published the results of recent, independent work on various aspects of satellite power systems^ and the European Space Agency has‘prepared a survey report on the subject.55 Obviously, if the SPS is to be internationalized, formal arrangements with other nations and international agencies will have to be made. As part of the current assessment program, a study is being prepared to develop options for involving the international community in any future SPS program activities. IV.9 Who would provide SPS development funds and who would control and maintain the SPS once it was developed? This is as yet an open question. Several financing and management options have been identified which could support development of the SPS.56,57 form of the organization has yet to be worked out, although there is likely to be a wide range of participants, both national and international, public and private. The general consensus among the principal investigators involved in the preliminary phases of the SPS is that international cooperation in R&D and some commercialization would be highly desirable. The International Telecommunications 54___________ See for example the "Abstract of Papers," XXXth International Astronautical Congress of the International Astronautical Federation (I.A.F.), September 16-22, 1979, Munich, Federal Republic of Germany. 5$Ruth, J. and W. Wdstphal, "Study on European Aspects of Solar Power Satellites," European Space Agency, June 1979. 5 6Kierulff, Herbert E., SPS Preliminary Societal Assessment: Financial/Management Scenarios, DOE HCPA-4024-13, October 1978. $?Vajk, J. Peter, SPS Preliminary Societal Assessment: Financial/ Management Scenarios, DOE HCP/R-4024-03, October 1978.
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