HTSC and competing storage technologies was carried out (see Table III). This comparison reflects favorably upon HTSC storage technology and development of HTSC systems seems warranted. At this point it appears that HTSC storage can be a competitive option with other types of storage for some applications. A significant factor emerged during these initial assessments of HTSC technology for NASA missions. In order to truly evaluate any technology a ‘total systems’ approach is mandatory. This requires that a technology be evaluated in its operating environment and the effect of any given technology on the total spacecraft, including infrastructure and supporting services be considered. Judging HTSC technology merely on the basis of its ‘bench parameters’, watts per kilogram or watt-hours per kilogram, etc., can be misleading, since the major benefits of the HTSC technology may accrue from its effect on other spacecraft systems. We call these cascading benefits—effects which propogate through the system as a result of applying a given technology. Cascading benefits, however, can be either positive or negative. Because of the cascading benefits of HTSC for many applications it is anticipated that HTSC storage technology will be more attractive than competing storage technologies for many applications. However, each application, or mission must be analyzed by itself in the total systems context to determine the true benefits of utilizing HTSC technology. Critical technology areas for HTSC magnetic energy storage which must be addressed in future technology development programs include; stress containment— low weight structures, the large volume of HTSC systems, cooling—maintaining temperature level, development of practical HTSC conductors, accident prevention— enhancing superconductivity properties and problems associated with the strong external magnetic field (Fig. 3). Results of the investigation of HTSC technology to the LEO space Station are reported in Ref. [7], Orbiting power stations transmitting power to planetary surfaces to support surface exploration activities are attractive applications for microwave beam power technologies. Beamed power applicability and viability has been extensively studied as a means of providing terrestrial power from geosynchronous orbits [8]. In addition, microwave power transmission for short distances through the earth’s atmosphere has already been demonstrated [9-11]. Although HTSC technology was not part of these experiments, it has the potential for significant enhancement of this technology and will play a major role in the future for beamed power applications. The application of HTSC to electromagnetic power transmission; beaming power from a Mars synchronous orbit to the surface was one of the aspects of HTSC
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