Fig. 1. Assessment evolution cal and ecological systems and on the ionosphere, the impacts of SPS construction, deployment, and operations on the biosphere and on society, the effects of the microwave power transmission beam on telecommunications and other electronic systems, and the merits of SPS compared with other future energy alternatives. It is estimated that SPS could be deployed over the years 2000-2030 when the world may need to rely increasingly on inexhaustible energy sources. The purpose of this article is to describe the DOE/NASA assessment procedure and to indicate some of the more significant concerns and preliminary findings. THE ASSESSMENT METHOD Objective The objective, stated in a DOE policy statement in October 1977, is: To develop, by the end of 1980, an initial understanding of the technical feasibility, economic practicality, and the social and environmental acceptability of the SPS concept. ... It must be realized that this effort is very unlikely to achieve a firm recommendation to implement the SPS concept. Rather, if no insurmountable obstacles are found, one should expect recommendations as to the direction of the SPS program after fiscal year 1980 toward further laboratory experimentation and field testing. It is conceivable that some space testing recommendations as a companion to the NASA shuttle program might result. On the other hand a recommendation based on the identification of a major barrier might be to discontinue further research and development.
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