0191-9067/85 $3.00 + .00 Copyright ® 1985 SUNS AT Energy Council CONCEPT OF THE LUNAR POWER SYSTEM R. D. WALDRON 15339 Regalado Street Hacienda Heights, California 91745 D. R. CRISWELL California Space Institute A-021. University of California at San Diego La Jolla, California 92037 Abstract — A qualitative description of a lunar power system (LPS) is presented. LPS consists of multiple solar arrays on the moon which feed electric power to segmented microwave transmitters operated as large phased arrays. LPS can provide power by microwave beams to receivers elsewhere on the moon, in space or on Earth either directly or via reflectors. LPS can be made primarily from lunar materials. The system can start small but grow rapidly. Development of the Lunar Power System can establish growing industries on the moon and in space. LPS could enable low cost and rapid transportation beyond low Earth orbit. LPS is compared to other existing or projected large scale power systems which use non-renewable and renewable or virtually unlimited energy sources. These comparisons suggest the Lunar Power System should be examined in depth as a means to supply Earth with power. Past studies of Space Solar Power Stations (SPS) assembled from components shipped to space from Earth or constructed of lunar derived components provide considerable background material applicable to understanding the LPS concept. However, LPS and SPS differ in operational characteristics and in how the systems can be built. Considerable care must be exercised in adapting economic models of SPS to an analysis of the Lunar Power System (see Arndt and Kerwin, this issue). They conclude LPS is attractive as a source of power in space but not for Earth. Their analysis underestimates the potential advantages of the Lunar Power System. We argue that their analysis is seriously flawed in regard to: (A) failure to select design parameters characteristic of a "reasonable" semioptimized lunar power system, (B) methodology and logic errors — primarily in failing to properly distinguish component elements whose unit costs are predominantly controlled by mass, area, power or other considerations, and (C) arbitrary or biased selection of comparison cost factors especially where substantially different design and fabrication techniques are involved. The results are so distorted and unfavorable as to discourage further serious study of LPS as a source of terrestrial power if left unchallenged. Accordingly, in the latter sections of this paper we shall address the primary deficiencies in their analysis. We identify the truly important considerations which must be addressed in further studies to allow a meaningful economic understanding of the Lunar Power System. I. INTRODUCTION TO BIG POWER SYSTEMS Lunar Power Systems may provide a method for efficiently acquiring high quality solar derived energy to create Net New Wealth (8,20) on and off Earth. The Office of Technology Assessment (25) has recently cited the return of power to Earth from facilities on the moon as one example of a long-term goal the United States should consider for its space program. In order to appreciate the qualitative advantages of a Lunar Power System for the supply of power to Earth or to growing projects in space we review the characteristics of large scale power systems. Both terrestrial systems and the Space Solar Power System (SPS) are discussed.
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