provided that the program enters an implementation phase. 3.4 Source of Space-Based Materials A potential use of the SPS demonstration satellite is as a source of materials conveniently located in geosynchronous orbit. In this salvage use the demonstration satellite would be cut up into small sections, possibly melted down and reused as raw materials for space-based manufacturing processes. This salvage use is considered in more detail in Section 4.6 relative to full-scale SPS satellites. It is found that the value of the raw materials which make up the demonstration satellite is relatively small, roughly on the order of $157 million. The fact that these materials are located in geosynchronous orbit, however, adds an incremental value of about $50 million (at SPS transportation costs, 50,080$/MT), bringing their on-orbit value up to approximately $217 million. Unfortunately not all of the materials contained in the demonstration satellite would be salvageable. The major items in question include sapphire and GaAs. These materials alone constitute about 63 percent of the total on-orbit value. Thus if they are not salvageable, the on-orbit value of the SPS materials decreases to about $81 million. Even so, much of this value is made up of materials which are not likely to be easily salvaged for use as raw materials in manufacturing processes. Because of the relatively low value that the demonstration satellite has as a source of raw materials in space, this is not a very desirable salvage option. Furthermore, the return of these materials to earth for reuse would, in all likelihood, cost substantially more than their value on earth.
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