Any socio-economic practicability considerations of European SPS utilisation should be carried out in context with the U.S. implementation and operational scenarios because of the obvious European lack of major system devices (for example HLLV, PLV, space stations etc.) in the considered time frame. Generally we see any SPS research and development strategy in Europe to-date being reasonable only, if the U.S. efforts directing to SPS implementation will be further followed on. III.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRELIMINARY EUROPEAN SPS ASSESSMENTS The preliminary assessments to evaluate European conditions and demands for a possible future SPS utilisation should be very special ones in our opinion. As argued prior, Europe will not be able to develop and install a SPS-system without narrow partnership to the USA (at least in the considered time frame). So, all European efforts have to be seen in the context with U.S. efforts already done and presently under way. Therefore it doesn’t make much sense neither to repeat general feasibility assessments of the total SPS system, which are done and under way in the USA, nor to deal with own satellite concepts at the present stage of knowledge. We think, that the principle compatibility of SPS-utilisation in the special European environment is the first question to be answered prior to any specific European SPS research and development efforts of larger amounts. This should be done in the very near future to ensure possible cooperation with the USA in the 198O’s by starting a medium term SPS study programme perhaps in 198o/81 to provide technology programme recommendations for this cooperation at the latest in 1982. (Latter, it will be much more crucial to negotiate upon cooperation, if the efforts in the USA will be followed on with present or growing amounts).
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