g. Ionospheric effects on the microwave power transmitting system will probably be small. Effects of the system on the ionosphere and on its other users may be significant. The flight test system, in particular the size of the system, may be established by ionospheric effects demonstration test requirements. Further in-depth analysis and tests are required before establishing the requirements firmly. h. Power transfer at high power levels across flexing and rotary joints constitute a large scale technology development problem. i. Switchgear including protective elements must be developed for the high power spaceborne application. j . When it has been established that power from space can be a significant part of the solution to national and international power needs, detailed radio frequency interference investigations must be undertaken and frequency allocations must be established. Radio astronomy users must be major participants in this activity. k. Support modules and orbital assembly techniques for space flight operations must be developed as the requirements are established in detail. 1. Reliability as well as operations and maintenance considerations to assure long life in space and on the ground will be critical to the operational acceptability of the system. Both mechanically passive and active elements are involved. The maintenance equipment may well be more complex than the functional equipment and a thorough tradeoff of competitive approaches is required. m. Solar electric propulsion stages, transportation operations, heavy lift launch vehicles, SPS flight mechanics and the power source will have characteristics that impact the design of the microwave power transmission system and its equipments. Thorough understanding of these characteristics and perhaps associated constraints must be established as technology development and concept formulation progresses. n. Socio-economic considerations will become most important as the total concept formulation is established. How the considerations of environmental impact, favorable and unfavorable, interact with design, operations and economics are yet to be established in the required detail.
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