xii Question 2: What role, if any, should NASA have? Question 1 provided a model for understanding the biggest cost drivers for SBSP: launch and manufacturing. To understand NASA’s potential role, the study qualitatively assessed challenges and opportunities for SBSP development. We reviewed technological, regulatory, and policy challenges, as well as technological and economic opportunities. The review found that SBSP enabling technologies have broad applicability to a wide suite of future NASA mission needs, from power beaming on the Moon, to autonomous operations for science and human exploration, to lightweight materials. NASA currently funds research and development activities in each of these areas, though some areas receive significantly more funding: In-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing received ~$280M in FY22, autonomy received ~$244M in FY22, while wireless power transmission investments are today limited to concept studies (<$1M).13 This study provides two main categories of options for NASA leadership to consider without making a specific recommendation: 1. Undirected organic development: NASA is working on almost all the enabling technologies for SBSP and may want to focus only on its own current and planned missions’ needs, limiting further involvement, upon request, to supporting U.S. organizations pursuing SBSP and maintaining awareness of SBSP advances around world. NASA could fund these areas without adding SBSP as a separate line item in its budget. That said, further study of potential benefits of SBSP to planned missions is warranted. 2. Pursue partnership opportunities to advance SBSP: NASA may find mutually beneficial returns from supporting external SBSP development given the relevance of enabling technologies to other agency missions. Moreover, these technologies, from autonomous operations to wireless power transmission, have many use-cases beyond NASA missions, and are being pursued by a broad set of public and private actors for many non-SBSP applications. This study also provides follow-on study recommendations regardless of option choice, including: 1. Building on the first order analysis, study cutting-edge SBSP systems using the most rigorous lifecycle emissions and cost assessments as performed by NREL on other electricity production technologies. 2. Perform a technical design trade evaluation of SBSP technologies for NASA mission applications, such as energy infrastructure on the Moon. 13 Brandon, E. (2019, April 10). Power Beaming for Long Life Venus Surface Missions. Retrieved June 2023, from https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/niac/2019_Phase_I_Phase_II/Power_Beaming/ and Lubin, P. (2021, April 2). Moonbeam-Beamed Lunar Power. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/strg/lustr/2020/Moonbeam_Beamed_Lunar_Power/.
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