Suit Design and Human Factors The surface EVA suits need to be lighter, more durable, more dexterous and more mobile than on- orbit models. Vallerand [1991] suggests that the PLSS garment weight can be reduced by using aircooled thermal controlling instead of a water cooled mechanism and other PLSS. Temperatures on the lunar surface range from -171 to 111°C and must be accounted for in the thermal control system. As dexterity and mobility are of prime importance, low pressure soft suits or servo-assisted hard designs should be utilized. Once the extent of extravehicular activities are known, the suit shielding should insure that radiation exposures will not exceed acceptable limits. The expected dust around construction activities may be a problem for joint function as was noted for Apollo 16 [ILI, 1988] and may necessitate addition of dust seals to the design. Other suit addition suggestions of the on-orbit design (emesis conduit, helmet mounted display, etc.) should be included as well. 6.3 Rectenna Effects Like current power plants (fossil fuel, nuclear, hydro-electric, etc.), the rectennas used in a satellite power system will affect the environment and human society around them. Other sections of the report cover the environmental effects of the power beam. The specific impacts of the rectennas for the design examples are covered in the appropriate design example sections. In this section, we examine the general non-beam impact of satellite power reception systems using rectennas (microwave or array farm) on the order of 0.25 km2 or larger. First, the initial construction of a rectenna will modify the environment and communities surrounding the site. Second, the operation and very presence of the rectenna and supporting structures and activities will modify the climate and socio-economic structure surrounding it. 6.3.1 Construction Construction of a power reception system will affect the surrounding environment and socioeconomic structure. The relative magnitude of the effects depend upon the design of the rectenna, the construction methods used and materials required, the size and character of the surrounding communities, and the sensitivity of the surrounding ecosphere. The effects should be addressed in specific environmental/social impact studies for each rectenna site. Socio-Economic Effects of Construction For a given size and design of rectenna, the construction effects on the surrounding society will be greater in small communities than large. Small communities generally lack the public service infrastructure required to handle the influx of people and materials during a construction boom. Large cities, on the other hand, can lose a minor construction boom in the noise level of traffic accidents, crime rate, divorce rate, and other statistical measures. In addition, the social structure of a small community can be shattered by the sudden addition of a large number of newcomers who don't know the local rules for behavior [ERG, 1980]. Larger communities are more used to handling large numbers of strangers. One possible way of mitigating the negative socio-economic impacts is to build the rectenna in sections elsewhere, then ship it in and assemble the modules on-site. This modular approach has been used successfully to mitigate the social and environmental problems of constructing oil refineries in areas with restricted access, such as the North Slope of Alaska, USA. Ecological Effects of Construction The construction process will obviously affect the ecology of the site. In the NASA/DOE reference study, the rectenna design required the leveling of a large tract of land. This was expected to completely destroy the flora and fauna on the rectenna site. The types of replacement biota that would move in after construction were uncertain, though it was expected that the diversity would be greatly reduced [ERG, 1980], This type of effect as is seen after clear-cut logging in forests. Sixty years and more after a clear-cut, the re-grown forest may look healthy. However, it is missing many herbs, wildflowers, and animals that don't migrate over large distances. The small species don't return, leaving the forest less diverse and consequently less healthy.
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