Original 1978-1980 Rockwell Satellite Power System SPS Concept Art – NASA Space Viewgraph Artwork.
Original late-1970s aerospace concept production artwork depicting the proposed Satellite Power System (SPS) and its construction and deployment in space.
Measuring an impressive 26 1/2" wide × 14 1/4" high, this large panoramic mixed-media illustration was created on heavy professional illustration board and depicts a massive solar-power satellite positioned near Earth, together with a sequential series of spacecraft, structural components and deployment stages across the upper portion of the composition.
The imagery corresponds closely with the Rockwell International Satellite Power System concepts studied for NASA during the late 1970s, when NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy were evaluating the feasibility of collecting solar energy in geosynchronous orbit and transmitting that energy to Earth.
An Important Piece of the Artwork Is on the Reverse
The back contains the handwritten production notation:
“Final geosynchronous orbit is achieved after gentle push from a solar electric propulsion system – The year is 1995 and solar power will soon be transmitted to earth.”
This notation is particularly significant because it directly identifies the subject as a geosynchronous-orbit solar power system and references solar electric propulsion.
The lower production margin of the artwork is also marked in pencil “VIEWGRAPH,” along with layout/crop markings.
A viewgraph was an overhead-projector transparency widely used by NASA, military organizations, government agencies and aerospace contractors for technical and executive presentations before digital presentation systems became standard.
These surviving production markings strongly indicate that this artwork was prepared as presentation artwork intended to be photographed or otherwise reproduced for a viewgraph presentation.
The Artwork
The main composition depicts a huge orbital solar-energy structure with Earth in the background. The upper portion contains a sequence of smaller spacecraft and structural configurations illustrating stages in the development, construction or positioning of the system.
The concept is consistent with the ambitious Satellite Power System studies of the late 1970s, when engineers envisioned enormous orbiting solar collectors capable of generating power in space for transmission to receiving stations on Earth.
The combination of the finished illustration, sequential technical imagery, handwritten engineering narrative, crop/layout marks and “VIEWGRAPH” production notation makes this considerably more interesting than a later decorative illustration or reproduction.
Details
Subject: Satellite Power System / Space Solar Power
Associated Design: Rockwell International SPS concept
Era: Late 1970s / circa 1978–1980
Dimensions: Approx. 26 1/2" W × 14 1/4" H
Medium: Mixed media on heavy illustration board
Format: Original production/concept artwork
Orientation: Panoramic landscape
Markings: “VIEWGRAPH” and production/layout markings
Reverse: Handwritten description referencing geosynchronous orbit, solar electric propulsion and the projected year 1995
Signed: No visible artist signature
Framed: NoCondition
Very good vintage production-used condition overall. The painted image remains exceptionally vivid, with strong blues, whites and blacks and substantial visible hand-painted texture.
The unpainted margins show expected studio and production wear, including age toning, tape and adhesive residue, handling marks, pencil production notations and edge wear. The reverse also shows age, adhesive remnants and production-related wear.
These production characteristics have been left intact and form an important part of the object's history. Please review all photographs carefully for condition and details.
An unusual surviving piece of American aerospace presentation art combining space exploration, engineering, solar energy, NASA-era design and late-1970s retro-futurism.
