The Space Review online publication has published an excellent article by Mike Snead, president of the Spacefaring Institute, supporting the USA taking the lead in space-based energy. The article also encourages citizens to sign both of our petitions to send this important message to the US Congress.
Petitioning the US to take the lead in space solar power
Human civilization has been very fortunate to have access to readily available fossil fuels to enable the industrial revolution and the rise of our modern society. However, as most now understand, environmental and energy security concerns have emerged from our substantial use of fossil fuels.
Two new petitions seek to generate public support for investment in space-based solar power development. (credit: Spacefaring Institute LLC)
Our thanks to Mike Snead for his concise and compelling arguments in favor of space-based energy, and also thanks to Jeff Foust for publishing Mike’s article and helping us to get the word out to a much wider audience.
Citizens for Space Based Solar Power has published the following petition, addressed to the President of the United States, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Please go to change.org and sign this petition to send a strong message to the President and to Congress: Take these actions now to transition our nation and the world from dependence on fossil fuels to a virtually unlimited source of clean, sustainable energy.
Your signature on this petition will have a very real and positive impact on the United States of America and on all future generations of humankind worldwide.
If you doubt this statement, please read on.
The Current Energy Problem
The United States of America faces a looming national energy security threat due to its dependence on a finite supply of fossil fuels.
Humankind worldwide faces an environmental security threat due to its dependence on fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when burned.
The human desire to improve our standard of living is driving both the United States of America and humankind worldwide to consume more energy per person than ever before.
Worldwide population growth, coupled with increasing energy consumption per person, is increasing the total amount of energy required to sustain humankind worldwide.
There are no terrestrial energy sources, renewable or non-renewable, that can be sustainably scaled to meet the planet’s increasing energy requirements.
The Future Energy Solution
Sustainable, carbon emission free energy from space-based solar power (SBSP) is the solution. Simply put–and challenging to accomplish–SBSP consists of orbiting solar power satellites continuously harvesting the sun’s intense energy in space. The energy is beamed wirelessly to rectifying antennas on the Earth, and then transmitted to existing electrical power grids. Unlike terrestrial renewable energy sources, space-based solar power is nearly infinitely scalable. It is also continuous, so it can supply the planet’s baseload energy requirements.
Space-based solar power is not a new idea. Peter Glaser, an American scientist, obtained U.S. Patent Number US003781647 for SBSP in 1973. Since then, the idea has been studied extensively by NASA, other government agencies, academic groups, private organizations, and individuals. Every technology required for the implementation of SBSP exists, and they are each well understood.
Implementing the Future Energy Solution
Transitioning the United States of America, and eventually, humankind worldwide, to sustainable, carbon emission free space-based energy will require a substantial, coordinated effort, sustained economic investment, and political will. Likely to span the rest of the twenty-first century, commitment to this effort must supersede the short-term nature of two- and four-year election cycles.
*** A CALL TO ACTION ***
Sign this petition and send the following urgent message to the United States Congress, to the President of the United States, and to future congresses and administrations:
Pass and support legislation to ensure national energy security and to protect the worldwide environment by establishing congressionally chartered public-private corporations for space-based energy, space mining, and spacefaring logistics. These corporations shall provide the United States, its allies, and trading partners with sustainable and carbon emission free space-based energy.
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Challenges to Implementing the Future Energy Solution
The United States of America has a proven track record of success with large and difficult challenges, like building a transcontinental railroad, building a national highway system, and creating an extremely successful communications satellite industry.
In 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The following year, the U.S. Congress passed the Space Act and created NASA. In 1961, John F. Kennedy challenged our nation to claim a leadership role in space and land a man on the moon within the decade. In July of 1969, the Apollo 11 spaceflight landed Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon. The Apollo Program went on to send ten more astronauts to walk on the Moon.
Today Japan, China, and India all have active space-based energy development programs.
The main challenges to implementing a successful space-based energy industry can be categorized in three areas.
Technical Challenges
Several viable space-based energy concepts have been proposed. The concept for implementation must be downselected through scientific experimentation and prototype testing.
The safety of space-based energy, with respect to people, animals, and the environment, must be demonstrated through scientific experimentation and prototype testing.
Launch costs to place the required mass of solar power satellites into orbit must be reduced to improve the business case for space-based energy.
Advances in commercial launch capabilities, material sciences, robotic assembly methods, and other related technologies must continue to improve the business case for space-based energy.
Economic Challenges
The economic effort to implement space-based energy will be substantial, likely requiring a small but significant fraction of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be invested. Initially, a return on that investment will come in the form of new industry and job creation, and spinoff technologies.
Sustained investment will likely be required for the remainder of this century.
Political Challenges
The commitment to implement space-based energy will likely span the rest of this century. This long-term commitment must supersede the short-term nature of two- and four-year election cycles.
A decision must be made as to whether the United States of America will solely take on the challenge of implementing space-based energy, or whether the United States of America will lead a coalition of our allies and trading partners in this effort.
Public opinion must be rallied to support the technology of space-based energy, and the economic and political commitments required for its successful implementation.
Resources for Learning More About Space-Based Energy
This is only a small portion of the available space-based energy resources, presented in no particular order. Additional Google and YouTube searches are highly recommended.
D3 Space Solar Proposal – 2016 multi-agency proposal for the U.S. to begin a space-based solar power program
Spacefaring Institute – Dedicated to transforming America into a true, commercial spacefaring nation
Space Solar Power Institute – A non-profit corporation organized to educate the public about space solar power
The Case for Space Solar Power – 2014 book by John C. Mankins that recounts the history of space-based solar power and lays out a path forward for its implementation
Citizens for Space Based Solar Power – A space-based solar power advocacy blog, with the goal of educating fellow citizens and influencing public opinion in favor of this game-changing technology
*** ONCE AGAIN, A CALL TO ACTION ***
Sign this petition and send the following urgent message to the United States Congress, to the President of the United States, and to future congresses and administrations:
Pass and support legislation to ensure national energy security and to protect the worldwide environment by establishing congressionally chartered public-private corporations for space-based energy, space mining, and spacefaring logistics. These corporations shall provide the United States, its allies, and trading partners with sustainable and carbon emission free space-based energy.
On March 2, 2016, the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and USAID director held a competition to uncover the very best ideas for improving planet Earth. Of over 500 ideas submitted, six teams were selected to present their vision for the future. The Space Solar Proposal Team won four of seven awards: Innovation, Presentation, Collaboration, People’s Choice.
Here is the winning D3 Space Solar Proposal (D3SSP) Presentation, presented by Dr. Paul Jaffe, Electronics Engineer and Integration and Test Section Head, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory:
Learn more about this winning proposal at the D3SSP website. There, you will be able to read about:
About the idea of space-based solar power, Goswami writes:
Could this idea be as revolutionary as the Wright Brothers’ paper plane that gave us modern aviation? Perhaps!
In the rest of the article, Goswami does a good job of explaining the fundamental principles behind space-based solar power, and then she goes on to talk about Japan, China, and India already being heavily invested in the development of space-based solar power.
As noted in a 2008 C-SBSP post, 21st Century Space Race, our nation is once again behind, and once again in a position to catch up. It is a race we must lead, and if not win outright, at least cross the finish line arm-in-arm with our friends and allies.
Citizens for Space Based Solar Power 