Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power


Book Description

In March 2000, NASA's Office of Space Flight asked the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council to perform an independent assessment of the space solar power program's technology investment strategy to determine its technical soundness and its contribution to the roadmap that NASA has developed for this program. The program's investment strategy was to be evaluated in the context of its likely effectiveness in meeting the program's technical and economic objectives.




Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power


Book Description

In March 2000, NASA's Office of Space Flight asked the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council to perform an independent assessment of the space solar power program's technology investment strategy to determine its technical soundness and its contribution to the roadmap that NASA has developed for this program. The program's investment strategy was to be evaluated in the context of its likely effectiveness in meeting the program's technical and economic objectives.




Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power


Book Description

In March 2000, NASA's Office of Space Flight asked the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council to perform an independent assessment of the space solar power program's technology investment strategy to determine its technical soundness and its contribution to the roadmap that NASA has developed for this program. The program's investment strategy was to be evaluated in the context of its likely effectiveness in meeting the program's technical and economic objectives.




Power Beaming: History, Theory, And Practice


Book Description

Power beaming is the ability to move energy without moving or employing mass between an energy input and energy output. It is an emerging technology that could reshape how we generate and distribute energy and how our devices and autonomous systems are powered.This comprehensive compendium provides the foundation needed for researchers, technology developers, and end users to understand the promise and challenges for power beaming. By establishing a common nomenclature and conceptual approach to the analysis and assessment of power beaming systems, this unique reference text provides a true status of advancements in the field, and lays the groundwork for fruitful future research and applications.




The Watchman's Rattle


Book Description

Why can't we solve our problems anymore? Why do threats such as the Gulf oil spill, worldwide recession, terrorism, and global warming suddenly seem unstoppable? Are there limits to the kinds of problems humans can solve? Rebecca Costa confronts- and offers a solution to-these questions in her highly anticipated and game-changing book, The Watchman's Rattle. Costa pulls headline for today's news to demonstrate how accelerating complexity quickly outpaces that rate at which the human brain can develop new capabilities. With compelling evidenced based on research in the rise and fall of Mayan, Khmer, and Roman empires, Costa shows how t ht tendency to find a quick solutions- leads to frightening long term consequence: Society's ability to solve its most challenging, intractable problems becomes gridlocked, progress slows, and collapse ensues. A provocative new voice in the tradition of thought leaders Thomas Friedman, Jared Diamond and Malcolm Gladwell, Costa reveals how we can reverse the downward spiral. Part history, part social science, part biology, The Watchman's Rattle is sure to provoke, engage and incite change.







Living Off the Land in Space


Book Description

This book presents a visionary concept for future development of space travel. It describes the enabling technology for future propulsion concepts and demonstrates how mankind will ‘live off the land in space’ in migration from Earth. For the next few millennia at least (barring breakthroughs), the human frontier will include the solar system and the nearest stars. Will it be better to settle the Moon, Mars, or a nearby asteroid and what environments can we expect to find in the vicinity of nearby stars? These are questions that need to be answered if mankind is to migrate into space.




Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope


Book Description

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has operated continuously since 1990. During that time, four space shuttle-based service missions were launched, three of which added major observational capabilities. A fifth â€" SM-4 â€" was intended to replace key telescope systems and install two new instruments. The loss of the space shuttle Columbia, however, resulted in a decision by NASA not to pursue the SM-4 mission leading to a likely end of Hubble's useful life in 2007-2008. This situation resulted in an unprecedented outcry from scientists and the public. As a result, NASA began to explore and develop a robotic servicing mission; and Congress directed NASA to request a study from the National Research Council (NRC) of the robotic and shuttle servicing options for extending the life of Hubble. This report presents an assessment of those two options. It provides an examination of the contributions made by Hubble and those likely as the result of a servicing mission, and a comparative analysis of the potential risk of the two options for servicing Hubble. The study concludes that the Shuttle option would be the most effective one for prolonging Hubble's productive life.




Future Energy


Book Description

Future Energy: Improved, Sustainable and Clean Options for Our Planet, Third Edition provides scientists and decision-makers with the knowledge they need to understand the relative importance and magnitude of various energy production methods in order to make the energy decisions necessary for sustaining development and dealing with climate change. The third edition of Future Energy looks at the present energy situation and extrapolates to future scenarios related to global warming and the increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This thoroughly revised and updated edition contains over 40 chapters on all aspects of future energy, with each chapter updated and expanded by expert scientists and engineers in their respective fields. - Provides readers with an up-to-date overview of available energy options, both traditional and renewable, as well as the necessary tools needed to make informed decisions - Covers a wide spectrum of future energy resources presented in a single book with chapters written by experts from each particular field - Includes many new chapters that cover topics on conventional oil and fossil fuels, a new section on energy storage, and a look at new energy




Materials Challenges in Alternative and Renewable Energy


Book Description

This useful, one-stop resource for understanding the most important issues in materials challenges in alternative and renewable energy. The logically organized and carefully selected articles give insight into materials challenges in alternative renewable energy and incorporate the latest developments related to materials challenges in alternative renewable energy, including hydrogen, batteries and energy storage materials, hydropower, and biomass.