Nonterrestrial Materials for Space Solar Power Projects GREGG E. MARYNIAK Summary Concerns about the long-term environmental effects of fossil fuels on world climate and continued fears about nuclear power safety are fueling renewed worldwide interest in solar power satellites (SPSs). Along with growing social interest, there is an increased technical understanding of the potential for constructing solar power systems from lunar and other nonterrestrial materials. Recent work indicates that much of the mass of an SPS may be obtained from lunar resources by means of relatively simple physical processing techniques. Recycled space shuttle external tanks and their Soviet Energia counterparts may also provide a source of useful feedstocks for solar power satellites and space power precursors. It is over 20 years since Dr Peter E. Glaser proposed the concept of solar power satellites beaming power to the surface of th Earth from geosynchronous orbit. In the late 1970s, the idea was given a brief but intensive study by the Department of Energy and NASA [1]. A strawman or baseline concept was proposed, which would require a fleet of space freighters capable of placing 500 tonnes each into low-Earth orbit (Fig. 1). All components of the solar power satellite were to be lifted from the Earth in this manner for in-space assembly. The NASA/DOE study reported favorably on the concept. However, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences recommended in their oversight report that no funds should be expended for the development of solar power satellites at that time, and that the NASA Administrator and the Secretary of Energy should periodically review the status of SPS technology [2], As a result of the National Research Council report, Government funding for solar power satellite research in the USA ended. Since that time, the only solar power satellite research in the USA has been carried out under the auspices of the Space Studies Institute [3]. The concept of solar power satellites is attracting renewed interest around the world. A variety of recent environmental and technical developments suggest that the time has come for renewed research and development of solar power from space [4], In particular, a growing world-wide environmental consciousness has evolved. Although there is still debate over which particular models of global warming are most accurate, virtually all researchers believe that continued fossil fuel consumption will cause global warming. The Greenhouse Effect has profound implications for plans of nations such as the USA to use coal in baseload electric power generation in the long term. In Gregg E. Maryniak, Space Studies Institute, P.O. Box 82, Princeton, NJ 08542, USA.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==