【Scenario】
Asenticingastheprospectofthrillridesintospaceseems,thereareothermoredown-to-earthapplicationsofaffordablecommercialspacelaunchcapacitywhichalsohavewidespreadinterest.
【MainText】
■In1986,FedExCEOFredSmithsaid:"Basedonourresearchandinvestigation,hypersonicaircraftwouldbeeconomicallyviableinourbusiness;mostimportantly,ourcustomers,morethananyothers,needthiskindofimprovedtransoceanicspeed."Itisfeasiblethatsame-daypackagedeliverycouldbeofferedanywhereintheworld.Thiswouldbeidealfororgantransplants.Infact,thecargoindustryworksonaruleofthumbthataslongasthecostsoftransportationarebetween3to6percentofthevalueofanitem,itwillbeeconomicallyviable.Therearemanyitemswhicharegenuinelypricelessiftheycanbedeliveredquicklyenoughanywhereontheplanet.
■Energyisahugeissueonearth.Generatingitcausespollutionandsuppliesofoilandcoalarefinite.Everyeconomyintheworldwantsmoreenergysoitcangrow,butnowadaysthatenergyhastobeenvironmentallycleanandaffordabletomeetthedemandsofthegreenlobbyists.Oneproposalforthefutureuseofspacetechnologyistolaunchafleetofsolarpowersatelliteswhichwilltakesunlightfromspaceandbeamitbacktoearth.
Theideaofhumankindmeetingitsfuturepowerneedswithpowerfromthesunharvestedbyafleetofgeosynchronoussatelliteswasfirstsuggestedin1968byPeterGlaser,amechanicalengineerworkingformanagementconsultingfirmArthurD.Little.
"Theconversionofsolarenergytousablepoweristheonlyalternativetonuclearpowerforthedistantfuture,especiallysincethecontroloffusionisstillthephysicist'sdream."
—PeterGlaser
Glaserproposedthatasolararray11.5milesindiameterbeconstructedinageostationaryorbit22,300milesabovetheUnitedStates.Thepowerwouldthenbetransmittedbacktoearthintheformofmicrowaveenergytoreceivingstationswherethepowerwouldbeconvertedbackintoelectricityandfedintothenationalpowergrid.GlaserestimatedjustoneofthesesolararrayscouldprovideenoughpowerfortheentirenortheasternUnitedStates.Andbestofall,thispowersourcewouldworkperfectlyregardlessoftheweatheronearth,providinganinexhaustiblesupply.
WhenGlaserfirstmadethisproposalin1968,allofthetechnologywhichwouldbeneededwasalreadyavailableexceptforanaffordablemeansoflaunchingallofthevariouscomponentsofthesolarcellarrayintoorbit.Whentheoilembargocamealong,BoeingactuallyreceivedfundingfromNASAandtheDepartmentofEnergytolookinmoredetailattheengineeringrequiredforthisproject.BoeingeventuallyconcurredwithGlaser'sopinionthattheprojectwastechnicallyfeasible.TheU.S.HouseofRepresentativespassedabillauthorizingfundingforbuildingandlaunchingaproof-of-conceptsatellitetotesttheproposalin1980,butitwasnevertakenupbytheSenateandPresidentCarterstatedhewouldneversignoffontheideasoitneverwentforward.
Evenusingthespaceshuttle,itwouldhavetakenhundredsoflaunchestogetintoorbitallofthecomponentswhichwouldberequiredtobuildsuchamassivesolararray.Whetherornotthisconceptwillbetakenupbycommercialsatellitelaunchersremainstobeseen,butitdoesofferabonafidecommercialapplicationforthenewindustry.
Theideaofgeneratingpowerinspaceandbeamingitbacktoearthisstillregardedashighlyspeculativeandcontroversial.