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1968
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Peter Glaser proposes concept of
SPS at
Inter-society Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (
IECEC). His paper "
Power from the Sun: Its Future " is reprinted in Science.
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|
1978-81
|
US
Department of Energy (
DOE) research program. NASA proposes
SPS
"Reference System" design.
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|
1981
|
US
DOE finishes
SPS study, decides not to continue.
|
|
1982
|
Space Energy Engineering Division established at Institute of
Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) in Japan.
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|
1983
|
Japanese engineers fly sounding rocket experiment to test microwave
transmission through the ionosphere - "MINIX".
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1985
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"
SPS 85" international conference held in Paris
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1991
|
"
SPS 91" international conference held in Paris. Paper on "
SPS
2000" wins prize as best proposal.
|
|
1992
|
"SPS 2000 News" newsletter started at ISAS, Ed. Professor
Nagatomo.
|
|
"
SPS Rio" held in association with International Conference on Aid & Development ("RIO 92")
|
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1993
|
METS International Conference on Wireless Power Transmission (
WPT) held in San Antonio, Texas. "
SPS News" newsletter started at ISAS, Ed. Professor
Nagatomo.
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1994
|
March, Session on
SPS at "Space 94" Conference in Albuquerque
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| September, SPS 2000 field research visit to Tanzania
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| November,
WPT workshop on Reunion island to consider design of ground-based operational
WPT system.
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1995
|
March, SPS 2000 field research visit to Papua New Guinea
|
| NASA "Fresh Look" study started to reassess concept of
SPS after 15 year gap since the US
Department of Energy study from 1976 through 1980.
|
| September, "Space solar power: an advanced concepts study project" published by NASA, the proceedings of a "Technical interchange meeting".
|
| October, 2nd International Wireless Power Transmission Conference (WPT2) held at Kobe University.
|
| SPS 2000 field research visit to Brazil
|
| December, "Equatorial Times" newsletter for SPS 2000
rectenna countries started at Tokyo University, Research Center for Advanced Science & Technology (
RCAST).
|
| 1996 |
March, SPS 2000 Field research visit to Indonesia
|
| Session on space power held at "Space 96" in Albuquerque
|
| Phase 1 Report of "Fresh Look" study delivered to NASA LeRC by Space Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
|
| September, Two sessions on energy from space at
International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (
ISAP 96) held in Chiba.
|
| October, SPS 2000 field research visit to Ecuador
|
| 1997 |
Proceedings of
WPT 2 published in
Space Energy & Transportation Vol1, Nos 3 & 4.
|
| March, SPS 2000 field research visit to Maldives
|
| April, NASA's "Fresh Look" Report published. Major conclusion: that in view of advances in technology, and prospects for growth in world electricity demand,
SPS could be competitive with other energy sources and deserves further study. Major proposals: research aimed at a first
SPS system of 250 MW costing about $10 billion and taking about 20 years.
|
| August,
SPS '97 conference in Montreal (SFJ report). Some 100 participants from 14 countries discuss the current state of play for
SPS. With the recent increase in activity aimed at reusable launch vehicles, the prospects for
SPS are seen as better than for many years: "
SPS's 2nd chance".
|
| 1998 |
September, SPS 2000 Field Research visit to Colombia gets agreement for equatorial
rectenna site.
|
| September 27 - October 2, Meeting of
IAF Space Power Committee at
IAF Congress in Melbourne; plenary session on
SPS includes spokesman for Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Japanese politician Tetsuo Saito.
|
| 2007 |
June, The Space Frontier Foundation creates a new public forum for space solar power, as does the Space Solar Alliance for Future Energy.
|
| October, U.S. Department of Defense, National Security Space Office publishes interim assessment of space solar power:
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