blanket would be exposed to the sun to provide electrical energy to a high performance propulsion system which would propell the module to GEO. In GEO, the modules would be assembled into the final configuration. Detailed trades are needed of the considerations which may offset the expected OTV savings. Such considerations are degradation of deployed cells, docking of large masses, and fiscal effects of tying up capital for the relatively long transit time. 7. Configuration Comparison Review of the construction concepts for the column/cable and truss configurations provides some considerations for future study. The discrete sites where specific activity takes place are fewer for the column/cable than for the truss. However, the level of activity for the column/cable is expected to be greater at each site. The activity at truss construction locations appears more passive and amenable to remote monitoring to permit reduction in crew size. The truss configuration may be capable of more rapid construction after the initial setup because there would be less alignment and adjustment of the structure and the construction facility is centralized. Orientation of the configuration during construction may be important to keep sunlight on the solar cells from generating voltage which could be hazardous to operations. Gravity gradients will orient the SPS with the two antennas on a line through the center of the earth and with the array in the orbit plane. The solar cells can be shaded by rotating the array when the sun reaches the equinox. This may be preferred to maintaining an unnatural orientation with resultant large propellant penalties.
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