Fig. 2. SPS — participatory technology process for environmental, societal, and comparative assessments. and issues and studies are reviewed by peer groups. The results are also fed back into the design effort so that mitigating design changes can be explored. This iterative process is intended to lead to a preferred system(s) that may be economically viable as well as environmentally and socially acceptable. PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT System Definition The SPS requires no scientific breakthroughs; it is recognized as a difficult engineering development project requiring substantial advancements in technology in many areas. Success depends on projected reductions in the cost of space transportation; improvements in energy conversion technology (including reductions in unit weight and cost and increases in efficiency); advances in space structures, construction, and operations technology; and achievement of desired characteristics in transmission of energy from satellite to earth. The SPS concept has evolved since its inception in 1968. Numerous configurations involving various thermodynamic and photovoltaic techniques for converting solar energy to electrical energy have been studied. Other investigations have considered structures and materials, transportation systems, microwave energy transmission, assembly techniques, and other aspects of a complete SPS system. On the basis of these studies, an SPS reference system was defined for the purpose of concept evaluation. The reference system represents one plausible approach to achieving the goals of SPS, the delivery of energy to earth from space. As the SPS concept evolves, modifications can be expected, depending on the products of technology programs. For example, several concepts for solid-state microwave SPS systems have emerged, and thorough investigation is warranted since a solid-state system has the potential for high reliability.
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