This past June, I presented the paper and video presentation, The Coming Age of Astroelectricity, at the Space Renaissance International 3rd World Congress. Space solar power-generated astroelectricity is growing in recognition as the world’s future primary green energy source. This paper and video explain why this is happening.
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Paper abstract
This paper defines a progressive engineering solution to the world’s need to undertake an orderly transition to abundant clean energy by 2100 to eliminate net anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and provide sufficient sustainable energy per capita to enable social and economic development while eradicating poverty worldwide. This paper begins by explaining the critical dependency of civilization on sufficient and affordable supplies of energy and the technologies to use this energy. The paper next examines the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement to identify why these are now outdated and need to be replaced. The paper then proposes 2100 targets for the worldwide green energy required to achieve global sustainable development to a middle-class standard of living similar to that of the European Union. Next, the paper examines terrestrial sources of sustainable energy to quantitatively show why a substantial reliance on these sources is unlikely. The paper concludes by showing how space solar power-generated astroelectricity will enable the world to peacefully undertake its transition to abundant, sustainable energy.
10-minute video summarizing the paper
Conference paper
The Coming Age of Astroelectricity
James Michael (Mike) Snead is an aerospace Professional Engineer in the United States, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and a past chair of the AIAA’s Space Logistics Technical Committee. He is the founder and president of the Spacefaring Institute LLC (spacefaringinstitute.net) which is focused on space solar power-generated astroelectricity and the astrologistics infrastructure necessary to enable the spacefaring industrial revolution that will build space solar power energy systems. Mike Snead has been involved in space development since the mid-1980s when he supported the U.S. Air Force Transatmospheric Vehicle (TAV) studies, the National Aerospace Plane program, and the Delta Clipper Experimental (DC-X) project. In 2007, after retiring from civilian employment with the Air Force, he began to study the need for (and politics associated with) undertaking space solar power. Beginning in the late 1980s, he has published numerous papers and articles on various aspects of manned spaceflight, astrologistics, and energy. His technical papers are located at https://www.mikesnead.com and https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mike-Snead/research. His blog is at: https://spacefaringamerica.com. His eBook, Astroelectricity, can be downloaded for free here. He can be contacted through LinkedIn or through email sent to spacefaringinstitute@gmail.com.