title: The Case for Space Solar Power
author:  John C. Mankins 
description: This book makes the case for Space Solar Power; recounting the history of this fascinating concept and summarizing the many different ways in which it might be accomplished.
  The book describes in detail a highly promising concept - SPS-ALPHA (Solar Power Satellite by means of Arbitrarily Large Phased Array) - and presents a business case comprising applications in space and markets on Earth. The book explains how it is possible to begin now with technologies that are already at hand, while developing the more advanced technologies that will be needed to deliver power economically to markets on Earth.
  The Case for Space Solar Power concludes by laying out a path forward that is both achievable and affordable: within a dozen years or less, the first multi-megawatt pilot plant could be in operation. Getting started could cost less than $10 million over the first 2 years, less than $100 million over the next half dozen years.
  Given that space solar power would transform our future in space, and might provide a new source of virtually limitless and sustainable energy to markets across the world, the book poses the question, "Why wouldn't we pursue space solar power?"
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  ABSTRACT 
   
   
   
   
  Title of Document: 
  A SUNLIGHT TO MICROWAVE POWER 
  TRANSMISSION MODULE PROTOTYPE 
  FOR SPACE SOLAR POWER   
   
   
   
  Paul Iven Jaffe, Doctor of Philosophy, 2013 
   
   
  Directed By: 
  Professor Victor L. Granatstein,  
  Department of Electrical and Computer 
  Engineering 
   
   
      The prospect of effectively limitless, continuous electricity from orbiting satellites 
  for use on earth has captured many people’s interest for decades. The proposed 
  approach typically entails collection of solar energy, its conversion to microwave 
  energy, and the wireless transmission of the microwaves to the earth. This offers the 
  benefit of providing baseload power while avoiding diurnal cycle and atmospheric 
  losses associated with terrestrial solar power. Proponents have contended that the 
  implementation of such systems would offer energy security, environmental, and 
  broad technological advantages to those who would undertake their development, 
  while critics have pointed out e