Section VI RECOMMENDATIONS A number of areas discussed in this report need to be looked at in greater depth. The following items are the author’s recommendations for future studies of the occupational health effects: (1) A better definition of the SPS design is needed to fully assess the needs of the program. (2) Additional work is needed to make a comparative assessment of the SPS to other types of power plants (i.e., Ground Solar, Coal, Nuclear; Ref. 12). (3) The area of space assembly, fabrication, etc., needs a great deal more research and development. We have very little information in this area and it is not possible to correctly assess it at this time. (4) The subject of microwave radiation is quite open. The standard is being challenged and the outcome will affect SPS design, particularly in the area of the rectenna site. This area is affected by the size of buffer zone required around the rectenna site to protect personnel from the side-lobe radiation. If the standard is changed then the amount of area required for the buffer zone will reflect the change. Microwave standards also affect public health as well as SPS workers. (5) Space radiation is another area of problem to the space workers. The radiation is present 24-hours a day, and the recurrent hazard of the solar flare makes a ’’storm cellar” a real need in an SPS. (6) More research is needed to build, test and evaluate sandwich walls for spacecraft as it is a way to lower the radiation striking the space worker. The balance between weight versus shielding and cost will need to be studied.
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