University of Houston • University of Houston-Clear Lake • ISSO Annual Report Y2002—pp. 112-115

The Sun and the Moon—Solar Electric Power as a Future Energy Source for Earth

David R. Criswell (UH/ISSO)

DR. DAVID R. CRISWELL, ISSO DIRECTOR AND ASSOCIATE Director of the Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC), conducts research in the development of space and lunar industrialization and the economic implications of those developments for Earth. There has been increasing interest over the past year in the concept, developed with Dr. R. D. Waldron, for developing solar power stations on the Moon to supply commercial power to Earth. This is evidenced by extensive web links to Dr. Criswell’s studies by technical, special interest, corporate, and news organizations.

Dr. Criswell cooperates with UH and UHCLfaculty and staff in pursuing external funding and in broadening relations with other research, educational, governmental, and industrial organizations. During Y2002, ISSO maintained the membership of the University of Houston in the United States Energy Association. ISSO contributed funds to the UH chapter of Sigma Xi. Dr. Criswell is a member of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, the space power committee of the International Astronautics Federation, the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, the Houston Chapter of the International Association of Energy Economists, and the Houston Chapter of the National Association of Business Economists.

Publications
Criswell, D. R. "Characteristics of Commercial Power Systems to Support a Prosperous Global Economy," Acta Astronautica 51.1-9 (2002): 173-79.
—. "Lunar Solar Power," in The Encyclopedia of Energy. Editor-in-Chief, C. J. Cleveland; managing editor, R. Matsumura, NY: Academic Press, Elsevier, 2003. (In press.)
—. "The Lunar Solar Power System, Biospheric-Independence, and the Emerging Two-Planet Economy," Space Manufacturing 13—Settling Circumsolar Space, Space Studies Institute 2001 Meeting, Princeton, NJ. 90-96.
—. Summary of the space power and energy section, Space Manufacturing 13—Settling Circumsolar Space, Space Studies Institute 2001 Meeting, Princeton, NJ. 23-25.
—. "Solar Power via the Moon," American Institute of Physics, The Industrial Physicist (April/May 2002): 14-17. (Invited.) Responses to letters to the editor in the June/July, Aug./Sept., and Oct./Nov. issues.
Hoffert, M., K. Calderia, G. Benford, D. R. Criswell, C. Green, H. Herzog, A. K. Jain, H. S. Kheshgi, K. S. Lackner, J. S. Lewis, H. D. Lightfoot, W. Manheimer, J. C. Mankins, M. E. Mauel, L. J. Perkins, M. E. Schlesinger, T. Volk, and T. M. L. Wigley. "Advanced Technology Paths to Global Climate Stability: Energy for a Greenhouse Planet," Science 298 (2002): 981-87.
Hoffert, M., K. Calderia, G. Benford, D. R. Criswell, C. Green, H. Herzog, A. K. Jain, H. S. Kheshgi, K. S. Lackner, J. S. Lewis, H. D. Lightfoot, W. Manheimer, J. C. Mankins, M. E. Mauel, L. J. Perkins, M. E. Schlesinger, T. Volk, and T. M. L. Wigley. "Response—Existing Technologies Can Contribute," Science 300 (2003): 582-83; see also, 581-82.

Presentations
Criswell, D. R. "Accelerating 21st Century Economic Growth by Implementation of the Lunar Solar Power (LSP) System, IAF-02-R.3.04, International Astronautics Federation and World Space Congress, Houston, TX, Oct. 2002, 6pp.
—. "Commercial Lunar Solar Power for Earth," presentation and subsequent panel discussion, International Space Development Conference—Roadmap to the Stars, National Space Society, San Jose, CA, May 24, 2003. (Invited.)
—. "Development and Commercialization of the Lunar Solar Power (LSP) System," IAA-02-IAA 1.2.04, International Astronautics Federation and World Space Congress, Houston, TX, Oct. 2002, 6pp.
—. "Global Prosperity and the Lunar Solar Power System," West University Rotary, Houston, TX, Nov. 14, 2002. (Invited.); Gas Liquids Distribution Association, Grotto Restaurant, Houston, TX, Oct. 24, 2002. (Invited.)
—. "Lunar Power System and the Development of the Two-Planet Economy," Return to the Moon Symposium, The Space Foundation, Houston, TX, July 18-20, 2002. (Invited.)
—. "Lunar Solar Power for Global Prosperity," IMECE-2002-32083, in special sesson: Strategies for CO₂ Stabilization, International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New Orleans, LA, Nov. 20, 2002. (Invited.)
—. "Lunar Solar Power System and Minimization of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Production of Commercial Power that Enable a Prosperous Global Economy," Session U32B: Biogeophysics of Global Warming Mitigation, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 12, 2002. (Invited.)
—. "Lunar Solar Power and Lunar Exploration," MOON 2002 Workshop, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of California, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Los Alamos Center for Space Sciences and Exploration, and Lunar and Planetary Institute, Taos Ski Valley, NM, Sept. 12-14, 2002.
—. "Lunar Solar Power System," Energy and Nanotechnology Workshop, Rice University, Houston, TX, May 2003. <http://cohesion.rice.edu/centersandinst/cnst/whatwedo.cfm?doc_id=2728>
—. "Lunar Solar Power (LSP) System-Driven Human Development of the Moon and the Resource-Rich Exploration of the Inner Solar System," IAA-02-IAA 13.2.07, International Astronautics Federation and World Space Congress, Houston, TX, Oct. 2002, 6pp.
—. "Lunar Solar Power System to Provide Commercial Power to Earth," Blue Skies Workshop: Energy, Today and Tomorrow, George Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, Sept. 4-10, 2002. (Invited.) <http://www.coe.gatech.edu/blueskies/2002/criswell_presentation.php>
—. "The Moon and Net New Solar Electric Power for Earth," Gordon Conference on Industrial Ecology, Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire, June 9-14, 2002. (Invited.)
—. Special Summer Program, Space Studies Department, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, July 12, 2002. (Invited dinner speaker). Judged presentations by graduate student working groups.
—. "Solar Power via the Moon," American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Houston Chapter, NASA-JSC, May 2-5, 2003. (Invited.) <http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/aiaa>

Technical Press
"Green Power—The Moon Offers Unusual Energy Potential," The International Journal on Hydropower & Dams 9.1 (2002): 99-100.
David, L. "The Lure of Lunar Exploration," American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aerospace America (May 2002): 30-36.

Web and Press Features
A Google search on the phrase "lunar solar power" will return several hundred distinct links. A few of the more interesting links are given on pages 114 and 115.

ABCNews.com
<http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/lunarpower020422.html>

Astronews.com (German)
<http://www.astronews.com/news/artikel/2002/04/0204-020.shtml>

The Hindu (Online edition of India’s National Newspaper)
<http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/seta/2002/05/30/stories/2002053000040200.htm>

MSNBC.com
<http://stacks.msnbc.com/news/671827.asp>

San Francisco Chronicle (D. Perlman, Science Editor)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2001/12/13/MN111979.DTL>

Voice of America (R. Skirble)
<http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?ObjectID=F7A6DD41-410D-4BF7-B75CE82C5DF9F71A&Title=Moon%2DBased%20Solar%20Power%20System&db=current>

Wall Street Journal – Online (discussion of US goals for space, post Columbia)
<http://discussions.wsj.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=wsjvoices&msg=2737>

Alexander’s Gas & Oil Connections
<http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/features/fex24615.htm>

All-Energy Opportunities
<http://www.all-energy.co.uk/newsletter7.php>

Future Energies
<http://www.futureenergies.com/article.php?sid=504>

Edie (Environmental Data International)
<http://www.edie.net/gf.cfm?L=left_frame.html&R=http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/5426.cfm>

Metzner, J. (producer) (rebroadcast: 2003, January 1-4) "Lunar Solar Power: Introduction." (1 Jan), "Energy for the World" (2 Jan.), "Silicon Moon" (3 Jan.), and "Taking the Lid off Earth" (4 Jan.), radio interviews and transcript.
<http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/Jan01/Jan01.html>

National Geographic News
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/04/0426_042602_TVmoonenergy.html>

Viridia (EnelGreenPower)
<http://enelgreenpower.enel.it/it/edicola/viridia/it/maggio_2002/sole_luna_terra.html>

NucNews – October 14, 2002
<http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2002nn/0210nn/021014nn.htm>

PhysicsCentral (American Institute of Physics)
<http://www.physicscentral.com/news/news-02-5.html>

Physics Today (October 2002, Letter to editor – A. Smith)
<http://www.aip.org/pt/vol-55/iss-10/p10b.html>

National Science Teachers Association
"Can Earth be Powered by Energy Beamed from the Moon?"
<http://www.nsta.org/sciencenews/&category_ID=208>

Science NetLinks (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
<http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=144>

The Industrial Physicist
<http://www.aip.org/tip/INPHFA/vol-8/iss-2/p12.pdf>

• Letters to editor
<http://www.tipmagazine.com/tip/INPHFA/vol-8/iss-4/p4.pdf>

• Reply to letters to the editor
<http://www.aip.org/tip/INPHFA/vol-8/iss-4/p31.pdf>

University of Houston - World Space Congress
<http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/nr/102002/uhresearch101602.html>

University of Houston (press release – World Space Congress)
<http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/nr/102002/solarcells100702.html>

University of Hawaii (Planetary Science Research Discoveries)
<http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/Nov00/mining.html>

University of Southern California, Department of Robotics
<http://www-robotics.usc.edu/workshops/ssp2000/ssp_workshop/report.doc>

Workshop on Moon Beyond 2002 (#3004)
<http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/moon2002/pdf/3004.pdf>

White House – Office of Science and Technology Policy (slide 13)
<http://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/PCAST%203-3-03%20R%20Smalley%20Slides.pdf>

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Institute for Space Systems Operations - Y2002 Annual Report
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