embark or not to embark, on the next stage of the SPS investigation. A decision to proceed would not result in commercial development of the SPS in 1980, but would result in implementation of a follow-on program, Ground Based Exploratory Development (GBED). This 7-9 year program would further reduce uncertainty about the SPS system design, its technical characteristics, and potential environmental and societal effects. The GBED would be followed by technical verification of the SPS if that were judged to be advisable. CDEP Element Funding Systems Definition $ 6,600,000 Environmental Assessment 6,500,000 Societal Assessment 1,700,000 Comparative Assessment 1,700,000 Emerging Technologies 1,400,000 Analysis/Planning 1,700,000 Total $19,600,000 This table shows that about one third of the approximately $20 million budgeted for the three-year CDEP program is allocated to defining the reference system. The remaining two-thirds is dedicated toward evaluation of the concept. The evaluation assumes implementation of the SPS in accordance with the reference system and asks: what is the environmental impact? How is society likely to be affected? How might it compare with alternate sources of energy? What alternative approaches might be used to obtain terrestrial power from satellites. The Environmental Assessment will identify and assess environmental issues associated with the SPS reference system development and operation. These have been grouped into five general categories. Microwave health and safety effects account for about 30% of the budget; non-microwave health and safety about 10%; atmospheric effects, ionospheric effects and electromagnetic compatibility (radio-frequency communication effects) each account for about 20% of the budget. V.3 Just how much information on the SPS is available to the general public? Has such information appeared in the media? What agencies of the federal government have information that the public could obtain? the Project Office has encouraged inquiries about the SPS assessment it is conducting since the beginning of the program. All finished reports are available to the public through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS): U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161
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