    1. Cover Art—Space Manufacturing 9 Proceedings of the Eleventh SSI-Princeton Conference May 1993;    2. “Wireless Power Transmission—A Strategy for Decarbonizing Global Energy Use”, Peter E. Glaser, Arthur D. Little, Inc, Space Manufacturing 9 Proceedings of the Eleventh SSI-Princeton Conference May 1993, pp. 335-341;    3. “The Equatorial Plane—The International Gateway to Space”, Dr. William C. Brown, Microwave Power Transmission Systems, Space Manufacturing 8 Proceedings of the Tenth SSI-Princeton Conference May 1991, pp. 25-31;    4. “Aluminum Salvage Station for External Tanks (ASSET)”, Curtis H. Spenny, James N. Haislip, Robert E. Linscott, William Raynes, Michael Skinner, and David VanMatre, Air Force Institute of Technology, Space Manufacturing 8 Proceedings of the Tenth SSI-Princeton Conference May 1991, pp. 213-224;    5. “Further Developments in Very Large Truss Construction in Space”, Anthony P. Coppa, General Electric, Space Manufacturing 7 Proceedings of the Ninth-Princeton/AIAA/SSI Conference May 1989, pp. 162-172;    6. “The Space Shuttle Operators Manual”, Kerry Mark Joels, Gregory P. Kennedy, Ballantine Books, New York, 1982;    7. “Ranger Telerobotic Flight Experiment Program Update”, Joseph D. Graves, University of Maryland, Space Manufacturing 10 Proceedings of the Twelfth SSI-Princeton Conference May 1995, pp.199-203;    8. “Space Solar Power—A Fresh Look at the Feasibility of Generating Solar Power in Space for Use on Earth” Science Applications International Corporation—Harvey Feingold, Michael Stancati, Alan Friedlander, Mark Jacobs, Futron Corporation—Doug Comstock, Carissa Christensen, Greggt Maryniak, Scott Rix, National Aeronautics and Space Administration—John C. Mankins, April 1997, Report Number SIAC-97/1005;    9. “Newton—A Variable Gravity Research Facility/Final Report”, The International Space University, 1989; and    10. “Space Solar Power Program/Final Report”, The International Space University, 1992.
In the 1970's Dr. Peter Glaser presented a 5 Gigawatt Solar Power Satellite System. The outer space part consisted of a solar power collector array #21 (FIG. 1) and microwave transmitter #22 (FIG. 1) in geosynchronous orbit. The power collected there was beamed to earth where a rectenna #23 (FIG. 1) converted the energy into electricity to add to the electrical grid. In his plan the solar collector and microwave transmitter were constructed in geosynchronous orbit by astronauts from modular pieces manufactured on earth. This method proved to be too expensive to be feasible. Subsequently, the microwave power beaming and conversion processes were demonstrated, by Dr. William Brown and others. Since then, many plans have been offered to collect solar power in space. Because of the high cost of launching materials to low earth orbit, and even higher costs to geosynchronous orbit, none of them were economically competitive.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds