systems, it is at present, quite unique. Its fulfillment will embrace many more skills than those presently available to spacecraft manufacturers. It will require the involvement of the heavy electrical engineering industry, civil engineering, the power utilities, mass production of components, on a scale hitherto unknown in the space industry, and very large production facilities. Industries will be involved which have not been associated with spacecraft engineering, and there will be a need to appreciate a different range of skills. This then shows the first major difference. The SPS should be thought of as a major new energy project and not just a spacecraft, and this should enable the reader to put the SPS into the correct perspective when considering scale, development schedule and costs, and unit production costs. Similar thinking should also apply to the scale and scope of the required technology developments. SPS SYSTEM ELEMENTS The total system comprises the following four main elements shown with their principal subsystems. This list is somewhat simplified and is by no means exhaustive. Space Segment • Power collection conversion and management • Satellite dynamics - structural dynamics - attitude and orbit control system (AOCS) • Structures and thermal control • Mechanisms • Data handling and monitoring • Communications, command, and control. Space Transport System (reference only) • Transport to low earth orbit (LEO) - heavy lift launch vehicle (HLLV) - personnel launch vehicle (PLV) • Transport to geostationary orbit (GEO) - personnel orbital transfer vehicle (POTV) - cargo orbital transfer vehicle (COTV) • Local transport Space Construction and Maintenance • Construction - materials, equipment, crew training • Personnel habitation • Materials handling • Maintenance • Safety provisions Ground Systems • Power reception - microwave conversion
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