Who will benefit financially from and receive power from early SPS systems? In this initial phase, questions will have to be answered as to whether only the investors will benefit financially from the technological advances or will the knowledge gained be available for everyone to use. Agreements will have to be made to decide who will hold the rights to the inventions and discoveries made in this phase. A similar approach will have to be made on the financial benefits of small scale power applications, such as communication satellite users. b. Who will use the energy? Will there be different benefits for different countries? How will the energy be assigned and charged for? Will the bill be according to the energy demand? Will the bill be according to the financial strength of the user?Will there be CO2 credits? To determine the users of the power generated on a large scale, studies will have to be conducted for the breakdown of the users among the different countries and/or within a single country. How the energy will be sold and who will pay for it. It will have to be decided how energy will be divided among the participating organizations. Social Side-effects During the near term phase, the possible social side effects are thought to be small. But we need to understand what the impact of future large energy systems may be on communities in developing countries to plan ahead. In the developed world, the use of space power could possibly replace other power sources. But assuming that the amount of energy available worldwide will increase dramatically, especially in the developing world, there may be a sizable impact on these communities. The availability of useful energy, where previously there may have been none, could change people's lives by providing new services. The provision of energy could also impact the high birth rate in developing countries, and thus help to reduce the global population growth. The provision of a rectenna will provide both employment and power to a local community. This will help acceptance of the siting of a rectenna in a community. The construction of a rectenna will impact the local landscape and environment and will probably change the infrastructure of the community. These factors also need to be examined. Legal Framework The goal of jurists is to determine the legal framework in which other people have to develop a Space Solar Power Program. The legal status of outer space needs to address the major principle of freedom of use. This includes both the principle of peaceful purpose (e.g. how can we prevent the use of SPS for military purposes) and the principle of non-appropriation. Specifically, the problem of appropriation of extraterrestrial materials located on the Moon and asteroids to build SPS's needs to be addressed. The allocations of frequencies and slots in GEO and LEO is needed to avoid collision and electromagnetic interference. Will the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) be competent to do it? Can the allocation of slots be separated from the allocation of frequencies? Do we need to create a multinational consortium to manage SSPP? What model should be used? Possibilities include deep sea, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, ESA, ITU, and the U.N. How does one establish and manage it? What role is there for private corporations? Who will finance it? Who will be the owner? Who will control individual SPSs? What rights do technology developers and financiers have? How can the developing countries participate in it? How do we manage it to provide direct environmental and economic benefits to the earth, in particular, the developing countries? Recall that the lack of energy is one of the most important causes of desertification in Africa. How will the energy be assigned and charged? Who will decide on the locations of rectennae? Responsibility and liability questions exist, including the input ability of states (article 6 OST.) What if a SPS were to damage the Earth upon uncontrolled re-entry? What about collisions with other spacecraft? What if a SPS forms additional orbital debris? What liability is there concerning microwave or laser beams in the space environment? In Earth's environment? If global warming is associated with SPS systems, who will be liable? Is this the problem of both non-governmental entities and governments involved in the program?
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