Technical programme

C3. SPACE POWER SYMPOSIUM

The successful future exploration and development of space depends on the research into and deployment of new, more affordable and more reliable energy sources of diverse types ranging from the very small to the extraordinarily large. Moreover, the continuing support of government- sponsored space activities by the public will require that these activities serve human needs in obvious ways. One visionary way to achieve the latter goal is to provide non-polluting, economical power to the Earth from space. The Space Power Symposium will thus address space power systems for use in space and on Earth. It will include topics such as nuclear systems for spacecraft power and propulsion; systems using solar energy; and matters of storage, energy management, conversion, transmission and distribution. The Symposium will also examine the prospects for using space-based energy on the Earth and the use of key enabling technologies such as wireless power transmission for both space and terrestrial applications. The preliminary results of the IAA study on solar energy from space will be presented.