Figure 4.4 Space Solar Power Program An operational space solar power program will deliver approximately 1 GW. The space solar power program must, besides being technically feasible, prove to be viable from a business standpoint, be accepted both socially and politically, and provide safe service whether the criteria be environmental or physiological. Tables 4.3 and 4.4 show a compilation of the technologies and main issues required for a successful completion of the space solar power program. In both tables, main issues are presented per discipline: Space transportation, spacecraft, power collection conversion and distribution, environment and life science, socio-political, manufacturing and assembly and others. In Table 4.3 each specific issue is shown by its priority level: highest, second highest, third highest. The highest priority represents the areas where efforts are absolutely mandatory for the completion of the program. Second highest priority characterizes the issues that are highly desirable. A lack of effort in these areas will seriously complicate the implementation of the program. Finally the third highest priority depicts issues that should be investigated since they may provide significant benefits. For Table 4.4 issues are presented as a function of time of their implementation: short term, mid-term, far term. Short term represents issues that will need to start within the next five years either to implement the first steps of the program or as the beginning of long term efforts required for the final steps of the program. Mid-term issues are the ones needed for the intermediate steps in the overall program implementation or issues that requires to be studied early before the final implementation steps (Figure 4.4). Table 4.4 is a complement to Table 4.3 since it indicates when the research and/or efforts needed to be performed.
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