Power Program which could be considered as a threat to the environment has to be seriously analyzed. Lack of public support will mean withdrawal of public funds. Environmental risk can be associated with three major elements of the Space Solar Power Program: beaming of energy, satellite construction and rectenna construction. First, concerning beaming of energy from space to earth, several studies will be initiated concerning to the effects of beaming of large quantities of energy from space to earth . The potential financial threat could be related to two specific elements: negative impact of the environmental studies concerning the effects of beaming and the relatively large costs associated with the completion of the environmental impact studies. There exists a general concern that doubt is present in public opinion concerning the security of beaming energy to earth. Any conclusion supporting harmful beam effects could seriously threat public acceptance of the Space Solar Power Program. The important costs of realizing those studies could also turn to be a show-stopper as public funds will possibly be used to achieve them. A long and expensive process of information acquisition and analysis could be politically unpopular. The second concern relates to the construction of the satellite or space structures. If the Space Solar Power Program goal is to produce large structures in terrestrial orbit, many launches will be necessary in order to put the necessary building material in orbit. A major environmental concern relates to the atmospheric pollution associated with those launches. If it is proven that intensive launching activity causes environmental damage. Space Solar Power Program could lose public and Government support. Third, a risk associated with the construction of the rectenna could also be considered as a major show-stopper. Considering the innovative aspect of building gigantic rectennas on Earth, a great numbers of environmental impact studies will be performed. Again, negative conclusions concerning the effects of beaming energy on those rectennas and the size of the budget allocated to the realization of those studies could compromise the accomplishment of the Space Solar Power Program. Finally, the safety of workers in space also requires additional study. If building of large structures in space means that many long duration manned missions have to be performed, status of human life protection will have to be seriously considered for two reasons. First, the Space Solar Power Program could be unpopular if it is proven that human life would be endangered by the nature of the activities to construct it, and might be postponed until it was shown as a safe activity. On the other hand, a too expensive life protection system (shuttle to come immediately back to earth in case of emergency) could threaten realization of the program due to high costs. Technical Risk Clearly identified as the critical issue for the Space Solar Power Program potential completion, technical risks relate essentially to the state of the art and the cost associated with the development or realization of identified technologies. Specific show-stoppers which can be identified as risky from an investor point of view can be associated with the necessity to develop specific technologies necessary to achieve the Space Solar Power Program from an economical point of view. Delay in the development of some of the identified components of the system could contribute to the financial risk. First,, the necessity to lower launch costs has to be addressed. The importance of developing a low cost heavy launch vehicle has been identified as the element which could permit building of large structures in space. Transportation is considered as the major cost driver in a program like the Space Solar Power Program. As such this element can be pin-pointed as a source of cost increase or as a major source of delay in the realization of this program. Another cost factor of major concern is system maintenance: beam generators, satellite solar cells and structures being considered as the sources of risks. Other concerns which have to be addressed as financial risks based on the present status of the associated technology are the following: Attitude control of large platforms, the capacity to develop large flexible antennas, improvement of the efficiency of solar cells and the necessity to develop accurate and effective robotic systems to assemble large structures in space if an unmanned program is chosen.
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