Dr. Glaser. My view of the development program to date is that it has not yet received the kind of funds that one would like to see, but at least it has had a start. Moving beyond the very early studies which are underway now—and some of them are being completed—I visualize that we really have to start obtaining the kind of hard data on the problems that I have outlined in order to be ready to make decisions along the way and to basically say, do we have in the SSPS an option which we can develop if required? This answer may be still some years away. Thus, the program that I would visualize is one that would start perhaps with $10 million or so in 1977 and then, over the next several years, grow to a total of between $150 to $200 million within 5 years. So this is the development program as I visualize it. It would let us address some of the most pressing technical system aspects as well as carry out the socioeconomic and environmental impact assessments. Senator Ford. You say, then, we should probably put enough money in the budget of fiscal year 1977 to do the research as necessary and determine if we should continue in this area? Dr. Glaser. This is certainly my view. Enough money should be spent in order to be able to protect this option. At this moment the funds are just not enough for the aerospace industry to make all of the contributions that are required, whether on the specific SSPS technology or assembly and space transportation. Senator Ford. We are honored today to have the distinguished Senator from Arizona visiting with us, and if he has any questions of Dr. Glaser, I would be delighted for you to do that, Senator Goldwater. Senator Goldwater. Yes, Dr. Glaser, I am very interested in what you have been doing and followed it rather closely. I have often said, and I think it is being backed up more and more every day, that the $40-odd billion that we have invested in space is beginning to pay off. And I fully expect that within a relatively short time, we will be getting back the total investment every year. And when we reach the time when we can obtain power from satellites, it will more than do that. The stationary satellite that you mentioned would be in orbit about 22,000 miles, is that correct? Dr. Glaser. Synchronous orbit, yes, sir. Senator Goldwater. That would require, of course, a Space Shuttle to assemble it. Dr. Glaser. Yes, sir. Senator Goldwater. You showed us two concepts of the gathering satellite, one about 7.9 kilometers square? Dr. Glaser. 4 kilometers by 11 kilometers. Senator Goldwater. 4 by 11. And the other one, much lighter, what was the total size of that? Dr. Glaser. That was about 1.9 miles. It was a prototype, it was a lot smaller, and is a step toward the large 5,000-megawatt satellite. Senator Goldwater. That would have to be assembled through the use of a space shuttle? Dr. Glaser. That is right. Senator Goldwater. In fact, in your statement, you stated that a space factory could serve as a production facility for succeeding satellites.
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