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Space Solar Power - An Earth to Orbit Challenge
2002

2000

  • FINAL REPORT to the NASA Space Solar Power Exploratory Research and Technology (SERT) Program - "Spaceport Concept and Technology Roadmapping" Investment Steps to Routine, Low Cost Spaceport Systems, Prepared by the Vision Spaceport Partnership, November 2000. (Word .doc format, 1.8 MB).

1999

1998 

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Also see:

September 7, 2000 Testimony of John Mankins before House Science Committee Hearings on Solar Power Satellites

  • "Large-scale SSP is a very complex integrated system of systems that requires numerous significant advances in current technology and capabilities
  • A technology roadmap has been developed that lays out potential paths for achieving all needed advances - albeit over several decades
  • Ongoing and recent technology advances have narrowed many of the technology gaps, but major technical, regulatory and conceptual hurdles continue to exist
  • This NASA-funded SSP activity has made significant contributions to narrowing the technology gap (e.g. a three-fold reduction in mass at the solar array level over current state-of-the-art)
  • An incremental and evolutionary approach to developing needed technologies and systems has been defined, with significant and broadly applicable advances with each increment
  • The technologies and systems needed for SPS have highly leveraged applicability to needs in space science, robotic and human exploration, and the development of space
  • The decades-long time frame for SPS technology development is consistent with the time frame during which new space transportation systems, commercial space markets, etc. could advance
  • Power relay concepts appear technical viable using space solar power technologies, but may depend upon higher frequency power beaming
  • The question of ultimate large-scale solar power satellite economic viability remains open."
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    Website Contact: Edgar Zapata, NASA Kennedy Space Center