Three Space Solar Power Videos

Mke Snead's New Video


The IAA Press Conference


The Georgia Tech Space Power Grid Idea

NASA inadequate for Planetary Defense

From: http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/IndyBlog/archives/2011/11/14/extra-extra-in-other-news-online


After Charlie Bolden, the administrator of NASA, declared that deflecting a near-earth object (NEO), such as an asteroid or a comet, will be “what keeps the dinosaurs—we are the dinosaurs, by the way—from becoming extinct a second time,” he admitted that the space agency couldn’t afford to tackle that task, even if it wanted to. He explained that the annual federal allocation for “planetary defense” is $5.8 million, which represents a mere 0.03 percent of NASA’s budget and is barely adequate merely to locate NEOs and track their orbits. (The New Yorker)


From: http://www.voxbikol.com/article/quarter-mile-wide-asteroid-coming-close-earth 

Quarter-mile-wide asteroid coming close to Earth

ARTICLE | NOVEMBER 5, 2011 - 8:23AM

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An asteroid bigger than anaircraft carrier will dart between the Earth and moon on Tuesday — the closest encounter by such a huge rock in 35 years.

But scientists say not to worry. It won't hit.

"We're extremely confident, 100 percent confident, that this is not a threat," said the manager of NASA's Near Earth Object Program, Don Yeomans. "But it is an opportunity."

The asteroid named 2005 YU55 is being watched by ground antennas as it approaches from the direction of the sun. The last time it came within so-called shouting distance was 200 years ago.

Closest approach will occur at 6:28 p.m. EDT Tuesday when the asteroid passes within 202,000 miles of Earth. That's closer than the roughly 240,000 miles between the Earth and the moon.

The moon will be just under 150,000 miles from the asteroid at the time of closest approach.

Both the Earth and moon are safe — "this time," said Jay Melosh, professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.

If 2005 YU55 were to plow into the home planet, it would blast out a crater four miles across and 1,700 feet deep, according to Melosh's calculations. Think a magnitude-7 earthquake and 70-foot-high tsunami waves.

Scientists have been tracking the slowly spinning, spherical, dark-colored object since its discovery in 2005, and are positive it won't do any damage.

"We know the orbit of this object very well," Yeomans said.

The asteroid stretches a quarter-mile across. Smaller objects come close all the time, Yeomans noted, but nothing this big will have ventured so close since 1976. And nothing this large will again until 2028.

Radar observations from California and Puerto Rico will help scientists ascertain whether theasteroid is pockmarked with craters and holds any water-bearing minerals or even frozen water.

Amateur astronomers would need a 6-inch-or-bigger telescope and know exactly where to look to spot it.

Astronomers consider 2005 YU55 a C-type asteroid — one containing carbon-based materials. "It's not just a whirling rock like most of them," Yeomans said.

Such objects are believed to have brought carbon-based materials and water to the early Earth, planting the seeds for life. The discovery of water-bearing minerals or ice would support that theory, Yeomans said.

This is the type of asteroid that NASA would want to aim for, with astronauts, Yeomans said, especially if frozen water is found. Such asteroids could serve as watering holes and fueling stations for future explorers, he said.

An asteroid is actually on NASA's short list for destinations.

President Barack Obama wants astronauts headed to an asteroid and then Mars in the coming decades. That's why the 30-year space shuttle program ceased this summer — so NASA could have enough money to get cracking on these new destinations.

As for an actual strike by an asteroid this size, that's estimated to occur once every 100,000 years or so.

An asteroid named Apophis — estimated to be 885 feet across — will venture extremely close on April 13, 2029 — but will not strike. It has a remote chance of hitting Earth when it comes around again on April 13, 2036.

Scientists said information gleaned from 2005 YU55, as well as other asteroids, will prove useful if and when it becomes necessary to deflect an incoming Armageddon-style rock. (From Philstar.com)

Excellent Coverage of SBSP from Aviation Week!

In Orbit

Space Solar Power Seen Profitable By 2040

Aviation Week & Space Technology Nov 21 , 2011 , p. 20

Frank Morring, Jr.

Printed headline: Closing The Case

Conventional wisdom typically holds that harvesting “free” energy from the Sun with giant collectors in space does not make financial sense, at least until Earth’s finite supplies of oil, coal and natural gas become so scarce that there’s no other choice. The conventionally wise usually suggest that it will make more economic sense to rely on wind power and ground-based solar cells for “green” renewable energy. But now a panel of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), an elite organization of scientists, engineers and other experts who collectively examine some of the big issues of space exploration, has concluded that space solar power (SSP) could start paying for itself in as little as a decade. John Mankins, a leading SSP visionary, co-chaired the IAA panel with Nobuyuki Kaya of Japan’s Kobe University, where a lot of the technical ground for SSP already is being broken. They presented their findings at the National Press Club in Washington on Nov. 14, after unveiling them at the International Astronautical Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, last month. Examining various SSP approaches and four scenarios for the way global energy needs will influence the world economy, the IAA panel concluded that “premium niche markets” could support SSP profitably in the relative near term, particularly if some new approaches to assembling the big space-based collectors are followed. Technical hurdles that remain to be surmounted include thermal control, either with better spaceradiators or higher-temperature electronics. But the SSP idea is more attractive now that at any time since it first was conceived in the late 1960s. “There has been general consensus in every study, both here and abroad, that space solar power is technically feasible, that there are no show-stoppers,” says Mark Hopkins, CEO of the National Space Society, which sponsored a panel discussion of the IAA report at the press club. “But this is the first major study which has come out and said there’s a good chance it can be economically viable.” Mankins says the study examined three “promising” SSP concepts for positioning in geostationary orbit—a stabilized platform using solar arrays like those on the International Space Station to generate electricity converted to microwaves for transmission to large rectifying antennas (rectennas) on Earth; a modular approach linking solar arrays and lasers beaming down power in near-visible wavelengths, and a modular approach concentrating solar energy with large mirrors before converting it to microwaves. The stabilized platform was studied in depth in 1979, Mankins says, and is no longer attractive because it is limited to about 100 kw without being “fundamentally rearchitectured.” The laser approach runs into efficiency issues in competition with other power-generation systems above 100 mw, according to the IAA, while the modular “sandwich” microwave architecture is the most promising because it is scalable. “One of the things which appears very promising now is the idea that through these hypermodular architectures, that you can build fairly tractably, with tens of millions of dollars, a prototype of a module,” Mankins says. “And for a bit more money you can make a bunch of copies of those modules.” The microwave approach will require more work on thermal control, Mankins said, and any large structure will require advances in on-orbit assembly, in-space propulsion and, ultimately, launch vehicles. But at least initially a 10-mw system costing $10 billion, of the type already considered by the Pentagon for supplying power to forward-deployed bases and disaster areas, probably could be launched with existing or planned vehicles like the Delta IV Heavy and Falcon 9 Heavy, respectively. The IAA panel concluded that for the rest of the century, growing demand for electricity will call for many new sources of energy. Wind and terrestrial solar power will help, but unlike SSP are subject to local weather conditions. Space-generated power, by contrast, can be beamed to areas where weather is temporarily stilling windmills and blocking sunlight, Mankins says. The IAA report does not assume that SSP will totally replace other sources of electricity, but finds it can gradually assume a larger role as the global population grows from 7 billion to twice that by century’s end. U.S. military strategists have long seen SSP as an alternative to the “energy wars” they fear as fossil fuel supplies dwindle, while development of SSP technology will place the nation or nations that control it in a strong position to shape geopolitics. Another benefit may come with the jobs generated by large-scale SSP production. “If you think about the skill set that is necessary to build a system like Orbcomm or GPS, it’s that same kind of skill set, but a lot of them,” Mankins says. “At full scale by mid-century, space solarpower is like the automotive industry, meaning you have a very large and high-tech workforce and a set of infrastructure with factories building pieces of solar power satellites. The reasonable number [for SSP generating 100-200 gw] works out to millions of jobs.”

Near Earth Object Media/Risk Communications Experts Gather

From: http://www.newswise.com/articles/near-earth-object-media-risk-communications-experts-gather

Newswise — An expert group of scientists, reporters, and risk management specialists have taken part in a Near Earth Object Media/Risk Communications workshop.

Output from these professionals is helping to draft a report for the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, the Working Group dedicated to organizing an approach that counters the potential threat posed by Near Earth Objects, or NEOs.

Specifically, that UN Working Group in its deliberations is appraising establishment of an Information, Analysis and Warning Network (IAWN).

The team of workshop participants included leading journalists and writers, hazard communication authorities, artists and NEO researchers. The invite-only setting for the meeting – held November 14-15 – was the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP).

This NEO Media/Risk Communications Workshop was convened by Secure World Foundation and the Association of Space Explorers.

Reach, teach, and motivate

Among issues discussed during the two-day workshop:

-- What are effective tools to empower audiences with a tangible outreach and education plan, one that fosters accurate and timely information about the possible effects of a potentially hazardous NEO and what actionable steps can they take?

-- How best to inform the public regarding NEOs and any Earth-threatening object in a way to avoid misinformation?

-- What steps can be taken to develop an outreach and education plan, one that offers accurate and timely information about the possible effects of a potentially hazardous NEO?

Counteract consequences

Secure World Foundation has a long-standing interest for maintaining a vigilant eye on NEOs, as well as the establishment of a Planetary Defense strategy.

The consequences stemming from a NEO plowing into the Earth depends on its size and trajectory. Damage could range from destruction of an area the size of a city, to creation of tsunamis, to far greater after-effects.

“Establishment of a Planetary Defense strategy includes a number of components, from finding potentially hazardous objects, predicting their future locations, and providing warning about future impacts with the Earth,” said Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director of Secure World Foundation.

Furthermore, a Planetary Defense strategy also includes missions to deflect impacting asteroids by changing their orbit, as well as disaster preparedness management and, in the event of a NEO strike, shaping a mitigation and recovery plan to counteract consequences.

Resources and contacts

The need for an IAWN had been identified in Asteroid Threats: A Call for a Global Response, a report prepared by an expert panel convened by the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) to assist the work of the UN COPUOS Action Team on Near-Earth Objects (AT-14), which was established in 2001.

That report is available here:

http://www.space-explorers.org/ATACGR.pdf

Additionally, you can review Executive Summary of the Workshop on a Near-Earth Object Information, Analysis, and Warning Network (IWAN) here:

http://swfound.org/media/15763/jan%202010
%20neo%20iawn%20workshop%20executive%20summary-final.pdf

For further information on Secure World Foundation and this week’s Near Earth Object Media/Risk Communications Working Group meeting, contact:

Dr. Ray Williamson, Executive Director
Secure World Foundation
Email: rwilliamson@swfound.org
Phone: 1-303-554-1560
Cell Phone: 1-303-501-0430

Leonard David, Senior Research Associate
Secure World Foundation
Email: ldavid@swfound.org
Phone: 1-303-554-1560

About Secure World Foundation

Secure World Foundation (SWF) is a private operating foundation dedicated to the secure and sustainable use of space for the benefit of Earth and all its peoples.

SWF engages with academics, policy makers, scientists and advocates in the space and international affairs communities to support steps that strengthen global space sustainability. It promotes the development of cooperative and effective use of space for the protection of Earth’s environment and human security.

The Foundation acts as a research body, convener and facilitator to advocate for promoting key space security and other space related topics and to examine their influence on governance and international development.

Secure World Foundation is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium.

For access to the SWF website, please go to:
http://swfound.org/

NASA Administrator on Planetary Defense

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=39082
When looking beyond near-Earth space and LEO, several missions and target destinations are viable. These include Earth's closest solar system neighbors: the Earth-Moon or Sun-Earth Lagrange points and cis-lunar space, NEAs, the Moon, the moons of Mars, and Mars. Each destination provides unique exploration and operational opportunities. Lunar circumnavigation and flights to Earth-Moon or Earth- Sun Lagrange points hold near-term promise as compelling test locations for the SLS, Orion MPCV, and other key emerging systems. Lagrange points are gravitationally stable regions created by the interaction of the gravity fields of any two large masses; an object placed at a Lagrange point will tend to stay in place for a long time. The Earth-Moon L1 and L2 Lagrange points could therefore be excellent "gateways" for a multitude of exciting exploration missions. The NEAs provide the opportunity to send humans beyond the solar orbit of Earth while holding compelling science and planetary defense knowledge-building potential. In addition to possible scientific prospects, missions to NEAs would afford astronauts the experience applicable to deeper-space missions that would eventually contribute to establishing a permanent human presence beyond Earth. There are a few asteroids which could be visited by the SLS and Orion MPCV in the timeframe under consideration. Additional NEA survey data will be required to identify and refine the catalog of potential targets.

Google Top News Story Status "Space Solar Power IAA " as of ~10:30 pm EST

Full coverage

Orbital solar panels could resolve all power needs The Daily Star - ‎3 hours ago‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ... Solar satellite plan blasts fossil fuels with eco-laser SlashGear - ‎3 hours ago‎ This project notes that the space solar power solution would be a long-term energy fix for Earth that would include a potential for “essentially zero” terrestrial environmental impact. The study's environmental impact bit is according to the National ... Scientists Predict Giant Orbiting Power Plants CouldPower the Earth by 2041 Inhabitat - ‎4 hours ago‎ Solar power has been studied and tested for nearly 40 years, but only within the last few years have we seen innovations truly make leaps and bounds. Looking towards the future, scientists are now saying with the technology we ... Tomorrow's energy will come from space based solarstations, no later than 2016 ZME Science - ‎6 hours ago‎ Space solar stations are not a new idea at all – they have been researched since the 1970; but as years pass, scientists understand more and more the numerous benefits this type of technology could bring – a true revolution in renewable energy. ... Space-based solar power collectors possible in twenty years Geek.com - ‎6 hours ago‎ It would also cut down on fossil fuel emissions since solar is “clean” energy. Critics of the study say that the IAA didn't do broad enough research, or an accurate cost analysis in its findings. They are afraid that the cost of development is still ... Space Lasers! (for Clean Energy, Obviously) CleanTechnica - ‎8 hours ago‎ Orbiting solar power stations have been a continuous source of debate for decades – someone always brings up the idea of power plants IN SPACE and it always gets shot down as being unfeasible. (What's not realistic about having energy beamed down from... Enormous orbiting solar raygun power plants touted Register - ‎8 hours ago‎ NASA's former head of concepts John Mankins (now head of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions of California) is quoted as saying “solar power derived fromspace could play a tremendously important role in meeting the global need for energyduring ... Giant orbiting power plants could harvest the sun'senergy to provide world's ... Mail on Sunday - ‎9 hours ago‎ The study said government money would probably be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the 'economic uncertainties' of the development, it said. ... Giant orbiting power plants could harvest the sun'senergy to provide world's ... Daily Mail - ‎10 hours ago‎ The study said government money would probably be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the 'economic uncertainties' of the development, it said. ... Giant orbiting power plants could harvest the sun'senergy to provide world's ... Daily Mail - ‎10 hours ago‎ The study said government money would probably be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the 'economic uncertainties' of the development, it said. ... Spaced based solar power stations of the future The Economic Voice - ‎12 hours ago‎ This will be a 1 kilometre wide free floating Mylar mirror, which will focus the sun's rays onto a smaller mirror aimed at solar panels. They hope to have it in place by 2016. The Japanese also hope to have their version of a space based solar energy ... Energy of the Future: Spaced Based Solar Stations OilPrice.com - ‎13 hours ago‎ Space based solar power stations are not a new idea, in fact they have been researched since the 1970's. Back in 2009 the Californian state regulators granted approval to the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Solaren Corp. to start creating a solarbased ... Orbital solar plants could power Earth Mumbai Mirror - ‎14 hours ago‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ... Space solar power station possible within three decades – IAA EcoSeed - ‎15 hours ago‎ The International Academy of Astronautics has completed the first international study looking into whether collecting solar energy out in space is possible. While it found that the idea of a space solar power or SSP system is technically feasible ... IAA says 'Yes We Can' to power plants in orbit PhysOrg.com - ‎17 hours ago‎ The IAA's three-year, ten-nation study, as the first broadly based international assessment of collecting solar energy in space, is considered significant. The study was conducted from 2008 to 2010 and was under peer review. John Mankins, the former... Could space lasers deliver clean energybreakthrough? Environmental Expert (press release) - ‎22 hours ago‎ Orbiting solar power stations could meet much of the world's energy requirements within 30 years, according to a major new study to be released later today. The report from the International Academy of Astronautics, an advanced copy of which was ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs TODAYonline - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The concept, known as space solar power, is a potential long-term energy solution for Earth with "essentially zero" terrestrial environmental impact, according to the National Space Society, an advocacy group that was set to publicise the study at a ... Exclusive: Orbital solar power plants touted forenergy needs ECNmag.com - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar plants could help solve Earth's energycrisis Globe and Mail - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar power plants could meet Earth's energyneeds msnbc.com - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Solar Power in Orbit Energy and Capital - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ According to the report, which will be made public at a conference in Washington on Monday, the most effective way to obtain solar power would be in space. The report shows that within 30 years it could be possible to power the globe this way. ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs Mother Nature Network - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbiting stations would harvest sun's energy Vancouver Sun - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Space, solar power's next frontier? SmartPlanet.com (blog) - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ Private companies have also latched onto the idea of space based solar power. Solaren Corp. struck a deal with Pacific Gas & Electric to begin supplying PG&E with celestial solar energy in 2016. Under IAA's proposal, satellites would be positioned in... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs DAWN.com - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ... Could space lasers deliver clean energybreakthrough? Business Green - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ According to Reuters, the paper provides little precise detail on how the technology could be deployed, nor on the estimated cost of new solar power stations, each of which would be several kilometres across. However, it does state that space solar ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs BusinessLIVE - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Harvesting sun's power in space 'feasible': study Calgary Herald - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ "It is clear that solar power delivered from space could play a tremendously important role in meeting the global need for energy during the 21st century," according to the study led by John Mankins, a 25-year NASA veteran and the US space agency's ... Harnessing the power of the sun Independent Online - ‎Nov 14, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ...

Space solar power can solve energy crisis Khaleej Times - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study was billed as the first broadly based international assessment of potential paths to collecting solar energy in space and delivering it to markets on Earth via wireless power transmission. The study said government pump-priming likely would ... Space solar power touted for energy needs ABC Online - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ Orbiting solar panels Harvesting the Sun's energy from space could provide a cost-effective way to meet global power needs in as little as 30 years, says an international scientific group. Orbiting power plants capable of collecting solar energy and ... Giant solar space panels tipped to power cars, homes of future Irish Independent - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ SCIENTISTS are working on a revolutionary plan to supply the world's energy needs by building solar power stations in space. Orbiting power plants capable of collectingsolar energy and beaming it to Earth will be "technically ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs Bangladesh News 24 hours - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar plants 'can solve energy crisis' Gulf Daily News - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ It said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the space solar powerconcept to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration phases and the time ... Orbital Solar Power Plants Touted for Energy Needs International Business Times - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs Arab News - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs The News International - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs Vision Insights and New Horizons - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Exclusive - Orbital solar power plants touted forenergy needs Reuters UK - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs Khaleej Times - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the “economic uncertainties” of the development and demonstration ... Exclusive: Orbital solar power plants touted forenergy needs Reuters UK - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Exclusive: Orbital solar power plants touted forenergy needs CNBC.com - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... EXCLUSIVE-Orbital solar power plants touted forenergy needs Reuters AlertNet - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Exclusive: Orbital solar power plants touted forenergy needs Reuters India - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ... Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs Kyiv Post - ‎Nov 13, 2011‎ The study said government pump-priming likely would be needed to get the concept, known as space solar power, to market. Private-sector funding is unlikely to proceed alone because of the "economic uncertainties" of the development and demonstration ...