are concerned with not only technology and engineering, but also big problems such as "large scale project", "global energy production" and "exploitation of extraterrestrial resources", as well as economical problems such as "large scale and long-term investment" and "risk analysis". The earth environment, which will be related to SPS, is already a societal issue of global scale. Many research areas are beyond the capacity of the working group. The primary objective of the working group is not to plan an operational SPS, such as the DOE/ NASA Reference System. As indicated by the US study, research is most important at the present. In this respect, the members of the working group should find a common interest in connection with the future of SPS, and make plans for space experiments along with a scenario of research and development for SPS. It should be emphasized that the development of high power technology for space use is not the main objective of the research". The working group is divided into thirteen subgroups by specialized research fields. Nine of them arc concerned with studies on SPS subsystems and technologies. Other four subgroups are for studies on the effects of interaction of the SPS operation upon the environment. The individual research fields of the thirteen subgroups are listed as follows; Study on Subsystems and Technologies Microwave transmission Microwave reception Large space structures Guidance and control Laser technology Photovoltaic technology Thermodynamic power generator Propulsion Space robotics Study on Environmental Interaction Effects Spacecraft environment Space electromagnetic environment Communication systems Biology and ecology It is noted that the working group is not a task force type of organization that should be functionally organized to accomplish a certain duty given from outside, but a group of researchers who are interested in various aspects of SPS. Thus, the subgroups have been voluntarily organized by researchers with common interests in each, and are coordinated as a working group. One of the research areas is concerned with the strawman model concept.
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