Skyrocketing oil prices, a heightened awareness of climate change, and worries about natural resource depletion have recently prompted a renewed interest in beaming extraterrestrial energy back to Earth.

A 2007 report released by the Pentagon’s National Security Space Office encouraged the U.S. government to spearhead the development of space power systems.

“A single kilometer-wide band of geosynchronous Earth orbit experiences enough solar flux in one year to nearly equal the amount of energy contained within all known recoverable conventional oil reserves on Earth today,” the report said.

Note: At the International Space Development Conference (May 28-June 1, 2008), the National Space Society presented its Space Pioneer Award in the Space Development category to the report’s authors, “the Caballeros”: USAF Col Mike Hornitschek, USAF Col M. V. “Coyote” Smith; USAF Lt Col Peter Garretson; and USMC Lt Col Paul Damphousse, with Support from Maj Gen James Armor (Ret) of the National Security Space Office. – Ed.