Waldron 1991 a and b, as well as 1990) and in popular publications (Shiner 1990, Chaikin 1991/92). LPS will certainly include microwave relay satellites, in moderate altitude, high inclination orbits about Earth, that redirect LPS beams to receivers on Earth that cannot directly view the power bases. The mature system will likely include some power storage, probably 3 to 6 hours. The mature LPS will include sets of photovoltaics built across the limb of the moon from each power base. These sets provide steady power output except for 3 hours during a full eclipse of the moon by the Earth. Mirrors orbiting the moon can reflect additional sunlight to the bases. Even without these enhancements LPS will provide cheaper and more reliable power than solar installations on Earth. LPS components can be repaired or improved without shutting down power transmission. Many types of power plots can be used. The LPS can be modified while on-line because power addition does not occur on the moon. Rather, the subbeams from the separate power plots add together in space, between the moon and the Earth, to form the final power beams. LPS Demonstration and Production The LPS is practical because we can send small, mobile factories to the moon to build most of the power plots and bases from the lunar soil. The LPS can be fully demonstrated as part of a manned research base on the moon. The LPS demonstration would add approximately 20 % to the cost of a large base. This demonstration could pay for itself and the research base by delivering approximately 200 GWe-Yr of energy to Earth. LPS is built from common lunar resources of the moon that are well understood. Industry is now able to design and then provide the solar cells, microwave circuits, microcomputers, rectennas, and automated means of production. Now is the time to merge these worldwide abilities with America’s ability to go to the moon and work there. We fully understand how to design and cost LPS. Laboratory and field demonstrations can begin immediately on production of glass components and solar cells appropriate to lunar conditions. The design and demonstration of robots to assemble LPS components and construct the power plots can be done in parallel. Unmanned lunar landers can be used to confirm the moon as a suitable platform for beaming power to Earth. The radio transmitters of two or more unmanned lunar landers can be coordinated to send very low power test beams from the moon to Earth. Full-scale beaming can be demonstrated by using large radar installations on Earth that were established in the 1980s to track intercontinental ballistic missiles. These existing radars can project full-scale microwave beams to prototype reflector satellites deployed from the Space Shuttle. The prototype reflector satellites could redirect the test beams back to full-scale rectennas on Earth.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==