12. Based on varying assumptions as to performance, construction, location, orbital transfer modes, and reusability, achievable transportation costs to geosynchronous orbit are estimated to range from $75 to $300/kg. The major contributor to the total transportation costs for a given program was the cost of transporting the necessary material to low-Earth orbit. 13. The cost of producing electricity from solar power satellites as described herein is estimated to be in the range of 29 to 115 mills/ kWh. This range of estimates is based on the following assumptions: a. An implementation of 112 10-GW satellites over a 30-year period b. A range of satellite weights and transportation costs as indicated earlier c. A design, development, test, and evaluation (DDT&E) cost amortized over the 30-year implementation period d. A space hardware repair/replacement rate of 1 percent annually e. A plant factor of 92 percent allowing for eclipses and maintenance time f. A return on capital investment of 15 percent 14. The cost of producing electricity with conventional (nuclear and fossil) plants is predicted to be in the range of 15 to 30 mills/kWh in the 1995 time period, depending upon the cost, fuel, and type of powerplant. The cost of producing electricity with potential ground-based powerplant concepts (ground solar, geothermal, wind) is estimated to be from 28 to 121 mills/kWh. 15. The introduction of SPS in lieu of meeting an equivalent portion of the Nation's energy needs with new nuclear and coal-burning electrical powerplants will result in significant reduction in emissions (particulates, NO , SO , and nuclear waste). X X 16. The microwave power density at the edge of the rectenna 2 (1 mW/cm ) is about one-tenth of the present U.S. standard for human exposure. The system is fail-safe in that the beam would be dispersed to harmless intensity levels should the microwave beam pointing control fail. 17. Implementation of SPS on a large scale would create an increased demand for resources such as aluminum and rocket propellant gases (hydrogen and argon). Also, production capacity would have to be substantially increased in the areas of solar cells and reduction of arsenic from oxides (for the manufacture of gallium arsenide diodes). However, there does not appear to be any critical shortages of resources for SPS construction based on world reserves.
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