EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The scope of this study is to establish an information base, on which the major problems of SPS utilisation in Western Europe can be identified and preliminarily assessed, and finally to accomplish recommendations for early study programmes to evaluate principle solutions of these problems. The study starts with a broad analysis of the SPS-literature of the past years to provide a basic data collection and systems understanding. Dealing with concepts which are referred to as serious competitors for a potential realisation only, several concepts with potential realisation too far in the future or with technology breakthroughs required have not been taken into consideration. Also some non-photovoltaic power conversion devices and non-microwave power transmission systems, such as Power Relay Satellites (PRS), Solettas, Lunettas etc. have not been taken into account because of their presently just global status of investigation. Of the 372 publications which have been selected initially, 84 were rejected after a first evaluation. They proved to deal with the subject only marginally. Of the remaining publications 120 were selected for the literature review in Part I of the study. The other 168 were taken as additional information only, because of their very special contents mainly dealing with investigations in the field of high efficiency solar cells and concentration devices. The selected publications have been evaluated thoroughly due to special categories which have been identified prior by the authors: Power Conversion, Power Distribution, Power Transmission (DC to DC) Structure and Attitude and Orbit Control System, Space Transportation, Space Construction and Maintenance, Programme Cost and Risk, Energy Demand, Cost Comparison, Funding, Legal Aspects, Public Acceptance and Safety, Microwave Impacts, Rectenna Impacts, Launcher Emission and Space Environment, Resource Problems, Programme Planning and Development. These categories as well as abstracts and listings of the most important data, figures and illustrations are available in the Appendix (Volume II of this report). The analysed reports were our information base for the summaries on the state of the art. These summaries are held in a concise form according to the special categories to enable the reader to inform himself roughly. Since it appeared impractical to present all detailed information in the summaries, the reader can find the numbers of the publications we referred to at the beginning of each category in Part I and, if he wants to learn more about a special category, seek them out in the Appendix. (The reader who is mainly interested in restrictions or problems typical for Europe may start with Part II). In Part II of this study a lot of differences of a potential SPS application in Europe compared to the USA were identified and evaluated. Five major issues (by the authors investigation) are to be seen and checked prior to any increasing European attempt towards SPS: Geographical Siting Requirements of the Rectenna, Energetical Situation and Demand Forecasts, Orbital Restrictions, Organisational Problems, and Influences by European Industries. A first rough evaluation of these concerns was performed by actual data and partially by authors' own estimates and by applying two different working scenarios.
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