Group newbie here saying hello. Does anyone have a progress report (or any news
whatsoever) on Mitsubishi's Solarbird SPS project? Their (very limited) English
website
(http://global.mitsubishielectric.com/bu/space/topics/solar/) quotes a launch
date of
"2005." However, the website is from 2003. Any news would be appreciated...

Personally, I am more hopeful regarding this project because 1. it is a private
development
and 2. it's Japanese and their energy situation is more dire than the American
energy
situation and 3. I'm pretty sure the oil lobby in Japan isn't as developed as it
is in the US.

So maybe they will launch a test SPS sometime next year but, like I said, any
news would
be great.

Happy New Year!

Tom