Wireless Power Transmission for

Solar Power Satellites

By
B.Ravindra Reddy
(MT097109)

Outline
Background
Solar

Power Satellite
Microwave Power Transmission
Current Designs
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
1958

Development of the Photovoltaic cell

First US Satellite that used Solar Power

1970s

Oil embargo brought increased interest

and study

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.

Continued
Waste
No

heat is radiated back into space

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

Possible Designs

Deployment Issues
Cost

of transporting materials into space

Construction of satellite

Space Walks

Maintenance

Routine
Meteor impacts

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

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

Current Developments

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

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

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

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