microwave ovens and is capable of emitting 250 W of power at 2.45 GHz. The platform they intend to use to hold the microwave source is the Hitchhiker-M. as discussed in Section 3. (Figure 7.1-2) However. CSP and the EML have encountered problems that are leading them to consider changing the configuration of their Phase 1 and follow-on experiments. These problems are related to the safety concerns of using a high- power microwave source within close proximity to the Shuttle crew and systems. One alternative would be to deploy the transmitter and rectenna so that it operates several hundred meters from the Orbiter. This type of mission is identical in many respects to the proposed Astro-SPAS advanced demonstrator. Therefore, this obviously offers the potential for US/European cooperation. For example. Europe could provide Astro-SPAS. CSP/NASA could supply a launch, and both Europe and the US could jointly work on the experiment apparatus. This arrangement is precisely what DARA and NASA are invoking for the current Astro-SPAS missions. However, upgrading the Phase 1 configuration in this manner will significantly increase costs beyond those forecast for the original experiment. Therefore, less expensive alternatives are being considered. EML has endorsed the Eurospace ASAP demonstrator as a possible approach for reducing costs and eliminating dependence on the Shuttle. According to Dr. Kai Chang, Professor of Electrical Engineering at EML. in a letter to Eurospace, (see Appendix) I agree that a small-scale. Ion-cost demonstration experiment beaming power from a tree- flyer to a rectenna mounted on a towed, inflatable toroid is the appropriate first step. Therefore. I would like to explore the possibility of initiating a cooperative venture between myself and ESA to further develop beamed-power technology, perhaps starting w ith this demonstration experiment. Further, it is interesting to note that the ASAP demonstrator would, in
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