A useful discussion of burden factors associated with various modes of inter-orbital transfer and their impact on overall transportation cost is provided by Boeing in Reference E6. One treatment of the overhead weight burden, i.e., the ratio of total mass to be lifted into LEO to total mass of the finally assembled satellite, suggests that this ratio may range as high as 3.6, and is likely to be approximately 2.7 (Ref. E6) . With an overhead ratio of 2.7, it would be necessary to launch 2.7 Ibm (6 kg) into LEO for every Ibm in the final assembled satellite. If the cost/lbm were $40-$100, that would mean that the transportation cost/lbm of the finally assembled satellite would be $104-$270. Assuming, in turn, a mass of 8 Ibm/kWh in the finally assembled satellite, the total transportation cost would be approximately $832-$2160 per kilowatt of final capacity. Among the specific and more optimistic projections of transportation cost/kW are $656 by ECON for solar photovoltaic, (Ref. All) and $190 and $270 by JPL for photovoltaic and thermal, respectively (Ref. A9). 10. Competitive Terrestrial Energy Costs The general test of economic viability used in the references is essentially the "market test" of being able to fully recover costs and provide power from the SSPS at a generation cost equal to or less than competitive terrestrial generation costs. In order to make a determination of viability, it is therefore necessary to establish these competitive costs at the time of operation of the proposed system. Furthermore, this process is considerably complicated by the need to determine unit energy generation costs (mills/kWh) on a basis comparable with the derivation methodology used for the SSPS. For example, in the ECON case, where a discount (capital recovery) factor of 7.5 percent is used rather than the more conventional 10.0-10.5 percent, some restatement is necessary if the proposed project and competitive rates are to be validly compared. A similar requirement exists with respect to the treatment of inflation which is one of the least explicit elements in many of the references. Largely for illustrative purposes, and with a strong caution not to attempt specific comparisons between sources, Exhibit 30 has been prepared
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