Solar Power Satellites and

Microwave Power Transmission

Andrew K. Soubel
Energy Law Spring 2004
Chicago-Kent College of Law
soubel@msn.com

Outline
Background
Solar

Power Satellite
Microwave Power Transmission
Current Designs
Legal Issues
Conclusion

Background

1899-1990

Nikola Tesla

1856-1943
Innovations:
Alternating current
Wireless power
transmission
experiments at
Wardenclyffe

Wardenclyffe

1899
Able to light lamps
over 25 miles away
without using wires
High frequency
current, of a Tesla
coil, could light lamps
filled with gas (like
neon)

1940s to Present
World

War II developed ability to convert

energy to microwaves using a magnetron, no
method for converting microwaves back to
electricity
1964 William C. Brown demonstrated a
rectenna which could convert microwave
power to electricity

Brief History of Solar Power

1940-50s

Development of the Photovoltaic cell

1958 First US Satellite that used Solar Power
1970s Oil embargo brought increased interest
and study

Solar Power from Satellites

1968s

idea for Solar Power Satellites

proposed by Peter Glaser

Would use microwaves to transmit power to Earth

from Solar Powered Satellites

Idea

gained momentum during the Oil Crises of

1970s, but after prices stabilized idea was
dropped

US Department of Energy research program 19781981

Details of the DOE Study

Construct

the satellites in space

Each SPS would have 400 million solar cells

Use

the Space Shuttle to get pieces to a low

orbit station
Tow pieces to the assembly point using a
purpose built space tug (similar to space
shuttle)

Advantages over Earth based solar

power
More

intense sunlight
In geosynchronous orbit, 36,000 km (22,369
miles) an SPS would be illuminated over 99%
of the time
No need for costly storage devices for when
the sun is not in view

Only a few days at spring and fall equinox would the

satellite be in shadow

Continued
Waste

heat is radiated back into space

Power can be beamed to the location where it
is needed, dont have to invest in as large a
grid
No air or water pollution is created during
generation

Problems
Issues

identified during the DOE study

Complexity30 years to complete
Size6.5 miles long by 3.3 miles wide
Transmitting antenna mile in
diameter(1 km)

Continued
Costprototype

would have cost $74 billion

Microwave transmission

Interference with other electronic devices

Health and environmental effects

1980s to Present
Japanese

continued to study the idea of SPS

throughout the 1980s
In 1995 NASA began a Fresh Look Study

Set up a research, technology, and investment

schedule

NASA Fresh Look Report

SPS

could be competitive with other energy

sources and deserves further study
Research aimed at an SPS system of 250 MW
Would cost around $10 billion and take 20
years
National Research Council found the research
worthwhile but under funded to achieve its
goals

Specifications
Collector

area must be between 50 (19 sq

miles) and 150 square kilometers (57 sq miles)
50 Tons of material
Current rates on the Space Shuttle run
between $3500 and $5000 per pound
50 tons (112,000lbs)=$392,000,000

Continued
There

are advantages
Possible power generation of 5 to 10 gigawatts

If the largest conceivable space power

station were built and operated 24 hours a
day all year round, it could produce the
equivalent output of ten 1 million kilowattclass nuclear power stations.

Possible Designs

Deployment Issues
Cost

of transporting materials into space

Construction of satellite

Space Walks

Maintenance

Routine
Meteor impacts

Possible Solutions

International Space
Station
Presidents plan for a
return to the moon
Either could be used as
a base for construction
activities

Microwave Power Transmission

How the power gets

to Earth

From the Satellite

Solar

power from the satellite is sent to

Earth using a microwave transmitter
Received at a rectenna located on
Earth
Recent developments suggest that
power could be sent to Earth using a
laser

Microwaves
Frequency

2.45 GHz microwave beam

Retro directive beam control capability
Power level is well below international
safety standard

Microwave vs. Laser Transmission

Microwave

More developed
High efficiency up to 85%
Beams is far below the
lethal levels of
concentration even for a
prolonged exposure
Cause interference with
satellite communication
industry

Laser

Recently developed solid

state lasers allow efficient
transfer of power
Range of 10% to 20%
efficiency within a few
years
Conform to limits on eye
and skin damage

Rectenna
An antenna comprising a mesh of dipoles and
diodes for absorbing microwave energy from a
transmitter and converting it into electric power.
Microwaves

are received with about 85%

efficiency
Around 5km across (3.1 miles)
95% of the beam will fall on the rectenna

Rectenna Design
Currently

there are two different design types

being looked at
Wire mesh reflector
Built on a rigid frame above the ground
Visually transparent so that it would not
interfere with plant life
Magic carpet
Material pegged to the ground

5,000 MW Receiving Station

(Rectenna). This station is about a
mile and a half long.

Rectenna Issues
Size

Miles across
Location
Aesthetic
Near population center
Health and environmental side effects
Although claim that microwaves or lasers
would be safe, how do you convince people

Current Developments

SPS 2000

Details

Project in Development
in Japan
Goal is to build a low
cost demonstration
model by 2025
8 Countries along the
equator have agreed to
be the site of a rectenna

Continued
10

MW satellite delivering microwave power

Will not be in geosynchronous orbit, instead
low orbit 1100 km (683 miles)
Much cheaper to put a satellite in low orbit
200 seconds of power on each pass over
rectenna

Power to Mobile Devices

If

microwave beams carrying power could be

beamed uniformly over the earth they could
power cell phones
Biggest problem is that the antenna would
have to be 25-30 cm square

Low Orbit
Communications

industry proposing to have

hundreds of satellites in low earth orbit
These satellites will use microwaves to beam
communications to the ground
Could also be used to beam power

Continued
Since

a low orbit microwave beam would

spread less, the ground based rectenna could
be smaller
Would allow collectors on the ground of a few
hundred meters across instead of 10
kilometers
In low orbit they circle the Earth in about every
90 minutes

Issues
Would

require a network of hundreds of

satellites

Air Force currently track 8500 man made objects in

space, 7% satellites

Would

make telecommunications companies

into power companies

Reliability

Ground based solar only

works during clear days,
and must have storage
for night
Power can be beamed to
the location where it is
needed, dont have to
invest in as large a grid

A network of low orbit

satellites could provide
power to almost any
point on Earth
continuously because
one satellite would
always be in range

Legal Issues
Who

will oversee?
Environmental Concerns
International

NASA
Funding

the research
In charge of space flight for the United States
Would be launching the satellites and doing
maintenance

FCC
Federal

Communications Commission

The FCC was established by the

Communications Act of 1934 and is charged
with regulating interstate and international
communications by radio, television, wire,
satellite and cable.

Environmental
Possible

health hazards

Effects of long term exposure

Exposure is equal to the amount that people receive
from cell phones and microwaves

Location

The size of construction for the rectennas is

massive

International
Geosynchronous

satellites would take up large

sections of space
Interference with communication satellites
Low orbit satellites would require agreements
about rectenna locations and flight paths

Conclusions
More

reliable than ground based solar power

In order for SPS to become a reality it several
things have to happen:

Government support
Cheaper launch prices
Involvement of the private sector