Jun 6 1974
From The Space Library
A solar energy recorder to evaluate the solar energy available in any area of the world with an ambient temperature range of 233 K ( -40° F) to 325 K (125° F) was being developed by International Business Machines Corp. Federal Systems Div. under contract to Marshall Space Flight Center, MSFC announced. The recorder would measure and store sunfall data while simultaneously measuring direct and total (direct plus diffuse) solar radiation. MSFC engineers said the measurements were vital to efficient development of solar energy converters before any large-scale construction. (MSFC Release 74-98)
COMSAT General Corp. announced the award of a contract to Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., for 100 shipboard antennas and associated terminal equipment as part of the maritime communications satellite (Marisat) system to provide improved communications to commercial ships at sea. The contract was expected to exceed $2 million and included options to purchase up to 300 additional terminals. (COMSAT Gen Corp Release 74-31)
6, 11 June: Hearings on converting solar energy into electricity by photo-voltaic devices were held by the House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Energy as part of a continuing series of hearings on solar energy. John V. Goldsmith, Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist, said the total annual U.S. production of photovoltaic solar cells was 50 to 75 kw, mostly for spacecraft systems. In space, solar-cell systems were without parallel but large-scale applications on the earth could not be achieved until systems could be produced in adequate volume at commercially competitive prices. Goldsmith recommended a large-scale photovoltaic technology development program and said that a terrestrial photovoltaic system, with advantages of an inexhaustible energy source and minimal environmental impact, could be reduced in cost from its current $30 per watt to an economically feasible $0.50 per watt by 1985 but would require Federal funding of more than $250 million.
Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt, NASA Assistant Administrator for Energy Programs, said NASA was continuing investigations of orbiting satellite power stations. A microwave energy project was studying problems of processing large amounts of power. However, an orbiting power station would weigh 11 million kg and require a second-generation shuttle in addition to a nuclear-powered shuttle to put it into synchronous orbit. (Transcript)
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