(4) The necessary public acceptance (i.e., by laymen) of space-based power system depends on two very different factors: (a) demonstration of their practicality, both technical and economic, in some readily understandable form, and (b) general acceptance of space operations and products per se, to the same degree currently enjoyed, for example, by air transportation operations and microelectronic circuitry. It is evident that straightforward demonstration of economic practicality of space-based power systems is not imminent. Dr. Lenoir has suggested in his testimony a 20-25 year phased effort culminating in a subscale orbital demonstration, which is probably as good an estimate as any. However, there is considerable public impact of clear demonstrations that even small portions of the system are practical; for example, photographs of the JPL 1-mile microwave transmission experiment, operating at 82% efficiency, tend to dispel all doubt as to the ultimate practicality of the entire complex microwave power transmission subsystem of the SSPS concept. Hence the possibility of small nonsynchronous orbital demonstrations, which can be undertaken with shuttle/spacelab hardware during the next decade at power levels of only tens or hundreds of kilowatts, could have enormous impact on public acceptance, even though they do not even approach full-scale synchronous-orbit capability requirements. On the other hand, too-early demonstrations have been known to kill, or at least considerably delay, programs having considerable real value. Hence extreme care and much diligence will be required in setting proper program goals and milestones. In the area of general public acceptance of space operations and products, some progress is already evident. Satellite communications and weather forecasting are now standard elements in everyday life, and navigation is an obvious follow-on. Employment of new broadcast satellite capabilities for education and medical care, such as have only been hinted at by ATS-6, and broad utilization of satellite earth and ocean observations by farmers, foresters, miners, oil prospectors, fishermen, and environmental protection organizations are still to come. When these space-based services are viewed by the public as being commonplace, essential, and irreplaceable, there can then be general acceptance of such large-scale projects as space-based power systems. (5) An administrative quirk appears likely to generate an unnecessary and potentially expensive cessation of at least one year's duration in the SSPS research effort. As reported in Dr. Teem's testimony, the Administration has precluded NASA this year from funding any energy R&D; all budgetary responsibility for energy technology having terrestrial applications rests with ERDA. However, because ERDA did not agree to consider the SSPS concept as a future energy alternative until after its FY 1977 budget had been formulated, Dr. Teem has stated that no FY 1977 funds have been identified for the SSPS. With NASA out of the budget picture, the SSPS therefore “falls in the crack” for at least a year. However, it is clear that after about eight years of preliminary analyses, there now appears to be some substance to the space-based solar power concept, and, in fact, a modest acceleration in pace is warranted in order to further define key problem areas and proceed with the definitive first phase of ground-based research. A year's unnecessary administrative budget moratorium could have serious effects on program momentum at this most critical juncture, and should the SSPS indeed turn out to be as promising a future energy option as is indicated by the testimony, considerable extraneous cost for alternative energy supplies could result from this unnecessary delay in system implementation by a year or more. It is therefore suggested that the ERDA FY 1977 budget be modified to include a modest but essential line item for SSPS research. If ERDA management deems it appropriate, funds could then be assigned to NASA for continuation and acceleration of existing efforts, possibly in the form of a well-defined SSPS research and technology program as was suggested by several witnesses. I am grateful for the opportunity to present this commentary to the Subcommittee. Please note that I have made this statement in my capacity as an individual consultant in advanced energy technology, and that the views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the AIAA. Biography Brief for Dr. Jerry Grey Dr. Jerry Grey received his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and his Master's in Engineering Physics from Cornell University; his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology.
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