SSPS still viable?

In a few weeks, I expect to be embroiled in a debate about SSPS and
the expansion of humanity into space in general. (Living in the
People's Republic of Boulder, I get into it a lot.)
I continually hear rants against nuclear power -ignoring that it's
considered to be safer & cleaner than coal-, and there's always
somebody talking about the advantages of solar & wind.

If anybody has heard of SSPS, it is considered a wierd fantasy that
surfaced a long time ago. (Even among people interested in space, the
disinformation about frying airplanes and terrorists using it to fry
cities, still is heard, along with bad ideas like using the Shuttle to
lift entire SPS)

Does not the simple fact remain?: you still need some form of large
scale energy production to support a technological society of 6+
billion humans. Note that over 60% of humans presently don't have
access to energy on a scale we in the West are used to (I arbritrarily
include anybody with access to the 'net, here)
Rooftop solar and wind cannot possibly account for more than a large
fraction of household needs (even if you extend out across the street
to the neighbors roof), so what about supplying the huge appetites of
industry & transportation?
We still hear that covering the deserts with solar panels would make
the difference... I have to wonder, what will that do to the ecology?
Not just the solar cells themselves, but the roads & infrastructure to
support it? What about the toxic residue of manufacturing the
mega-hectares of solar cells needed?

So, the space industry to build SSPS is a long way off. (although I
don't think it's as far out as it can be made to seem)
Query: What other energy source (not to mention large scale resource
access) can we dream up that can support our civilization into the
future of possibly thousands (millions?) of years? Which we can start
building anytime we decide to?

This is old news, but it shows that there is still interest in SPS.
25 Feb 2001
ProSpace Alert: Roundtable on Space Solar Power

ProSpace, in conjunction with our partners at the Space Frontier
Foundation and the Space Transportation Association, will host another
in their series of Space Roundtables on Capitol Hill on Wednesday,
February 28th. Entitled "Space Solar Power: Investing In Our Energy
Future", this program will begin at 8:30am in the House Space
Subcommittee hearing room (Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2325).
Senator Don Nickles (R-Ok) has agreed to serve as a sponsoring chair
of this important event.

In 1968, Dr. Peter Glaser first proposed the concept of Space Solar
Power, which involves using satellites to collect energy from the Sun
that would be converted to radio waves. These would be transmitted to
a ground antenna and converted back to electricity for power
consumption.
Further research was conducted by the Department of Energy and NASA,
and in 1997 NASA conducted a "Fresh Look" study. Based in part on
that study, many experts have concluded that the technology base has
sufficiently advanced, to warrant investing in a robust SSP
development program.
And the current crisis in the California electricity markets points
to the need to explore this important technology which shows promise
in providing much of the world's electric generation requirements in
the future without few or no environmental consequences.

The Roundtable will address the question of public investment and the
role of government agencies in making Space Solar Power a reality. In
addition, speakers will discuss SSP economics and a proposed
Space-to-Earth power transmission demonstration.

At 10:00am immediately following the Roundtable the full House
Committee on Science will hold a hearing next door in Room 2318
entitled, "The Nation's Energy Future: The Role of Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency".

www.prospace.org