POWER SATELLITE CONSTRUCTION FROM LUNAR SURFACE MATERIALS TESTIMONY OF DR. GERARD K. O'NEILL PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY AND NATIONAL NEEDS OF THE COMMITTEE ON AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES UNITED STATES SENATE January 19, 1976 Introduction: This document should be regarded as reinforcing the viewpoint that research into satellite power makes sense. There are two features of the orbital manufacturing of satellite power stations which provide an additional basis for that viewpoint beyond that which is provided by the ground-launch method. First, with orbital manufacturing it appears that satellite power can become economically viable and have profound impact on a relatively short time scale. Second, with orbital manufacturing it appears that satellite power can become economically effective without the development of lift vehicles any larger or more advanced than the space shuttle. The key points^ in orbital manufacturing are: 1) The use of materials from the surface of the moon. This would represent cashing in on the Apollo project in a direct way.
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