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Online Journal of Space Communication

Abstract

Our global economy depends on low cost energy. In reaction to peaking oil prices, our economy is "in a shambles." We must rebuild our energy supply. Many energy alternatives have been explored and subsidized since the Arab Oil embargo shock of 1973, yet our oil, gas and energy dependency has grown. Our energy security is declining. Rebuilding our primary energy supply is hard. Fortunately, technology has opened the door to a clean new baseload energy player, Space Solar Power (SSP). The difference between communication satellites (comsats) now in use and the power satellites (sunsats) we need, is that sunsats would optimize for efficient power transfer, while comsats have optimized their signal to noise ratio. Just as the Comsat Act of 1962 created our robust commercial satellite communications industry, the key legislation that would enable SSP to become a major energy source is entitled the Sunsat Act. The Sunsat Act would create a commercial power satellite industry.

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