POWER STARTM: HARVESTING THE SUNS ENERGY IN SPACE

David C. Hyland
UWAA Chairs Distinguished Seminar Series
November 12, 2015

Also contributed at the International Conference

on SBSP, Kobe, Japan, April 2014

So new its scarcely noticed,

So old its almost forgotten
1

Background
All previous SPS concepts

Involve gigantic, complex, articulated structures

Contain numerous, perhaps 1000s, of moving parts
Require numerous launches
Require on-orbit fabrication/construction, usually robotic
Involve serious dynamic stability issues

Power StarTM combines very new and very old technologies to obtain:

The simplest possible structure

No moving parts (except electrons and photons)
One launch vehicle (A one-km system can fit into several existing vehicles)
No on-orbit construction
Inherent dynamic stability and robustness

The New

Printed Solar Arrays

Printed Patch Antennae

Solar-Microwave
Fabric
Solar collectors and microwave
transmitters are printed on a thin
fabric (in a randomized pattern if
non-overlapping)
The collectors and transmitters
are combined in local modules
no high voltage power
distribution system

Exterior
surface

Transmitter

Solar cell

Solar cell
Substrate layer

Transceivers

The fabric collects solar energy, converts to

microwaves and transmits it with adaptively
formed beam(s) using an entirely localized
algorithm. (Two modes of operation:
Passive Mode: A cooperative target sends
a low amplitude beacon signal
Active Mode: The Fabric transmits a
tracking signal and the return from the
target serves as a beacon signal

Solar Microwave Fabric: Cross-Sectional Configurations

Metallic grid

L 2

Exterior
surface

Power connector

Transmitter
(a) Nonoverlapping
configuration

Solar cell

Solar cell
Substrate layer

Present paper describes the case

where solar cells and patch antennas
do not overlap on the surface.
Consequently, a randomized pattern
is needed to avoid grating lobes

Transceivers
Transparent Transmitters

(b) Fully copopulated

configuration

Solar Cell

Solar Cell

Substrate layer
Transceivers

Solar Cell

However, one can use optically

transparent antennas (mesh, etc.), so
that both solar cells and transmitters
each occupy the whole surface. This
increases the collectable power fourfold

We assume solar cell efficiency of only 2% (currently roll-to-roll). Near-term improvement: 4%,
Ultimately: 20%. Thicknesses down to 1 m currently - e.g. Copper Indium Gallium Selenide, Cadmium
Telluride
Substrate materials: metals, Mylar, Kapton, fabrics, even paper!
Patch antenna efficiency: 70-80%. Thickness depends on wavelength, etc. Can produce ~ 1-3 m
Once printing process and algorithm are set, churn this out like wallpaper (roll-to-roll manufacturing)

The Old: Echo Satellite Technology

Balloon Fabrication

Meridonial Sectors
Spherical Balloon
5

Negligible
final angular
velocity

Packaging and Deployment: One compact

container, one launch vehicle

Echo II Improved Inflation Technology

Pillows containing sublimating powder are flattened against the interior surface.
Exposed to the heat from the sun, the pillows inflate, and vent gas through perforations in their surface
This prevents the gas from getting trapped in pockets and producing deleterious stress concentrations.
In the Power StarTM , as in Echo II, a metallic grid (for electrical ground) is embedded in the skin, designed
to yield at the
inflation pressure. The yielded grid rigidifies the structure.
Then one of the pillows is ruptured, evacuating the balloon, making it an empty shell.

Echo 2 inflation system pillows. Top: stowed configuration; Bottom: Pillow out-gassing from its perforations.

In each patch antenna:

Local analog circuit receives

beacon radiation
Amplifies waveform and emits it
back in reverse time.

Transmitter
Solar cell

Exterior
surface
Solar cell

Substrate layer

Copper grid
Power connector

transceivers

Power optimally matches desired

power distribution on the ground.

Rectenna
Beacons

Random Tessellation
to prevent grating
lobes

No moving parts!

Printed microwave
transmitter
elements

Printed solar array

elements

Illustration of beam shaping

Recording the beacon signals, then amplifying them and playing them back in reverse time occur concurrently.
To simplify the explanation, we illustrate these steps separately. First, consider the beacon propagation
On this plane we
have three point
sources
representing the
beacons

When the beacon

radiation reaches
the surface each
pixel representing a
antenna records the
wave-form that it
sees.
Each antenna acts
by itself

Each pixel on the

spherical surface is
a separate recorder

The time-reversal principle was first applied to acoustics. See Scientific American, November 1999.

Now turn off the beacon and let each pixel on the surface re-transmit the wave-form it
recorded - but in reverse time

Note the converging

wave fronts

The amplitude on the

ground plane has three
concentrations centered
on the beacons. If the
transmitting array were
infinite in extent, these
would be point
concentrations.

Each pixel on the surface

transmits the recorded signal
in reverse time

Solar radiation

Localized Power Distribution

S , B exterior surface illuminated by both sun and beacon

S, B

External solar arrays power local external transmitters

S , B exterior surface illuminated by sun but no beacon

S, B

Beacon
radiation

External solar arrays power the local internal

receiver/transmitters & they transmit power to the
internal receiver/transmitters in sector S , B

S, B

S , B exterior surface exposed to beacon, but not the sun

Exterior transmitters powered by the local interior

S, B

receiver/transmitters (that receive power from S , B)

S , B exterior surface shaded from both sun and beacon
Do nothing

Interior surface printed with -wave

receiver/transmitters (possibly shorter
wavelengths)

10

Power Distribution - Summary

Each antenna transmits only if the beacon(s) radiation is received.
Each transmitting antenna draws power from
Solar cells in its immediate vicinity (within a few centimeters), or
Through the thickness of the skin from receivers on the inner surface of the
skin.

Power transmission through the skin traverses a few centimeters or less.

Each transmitter receives just a few Watts
No high voltages, no large wires
Power distribution to each antenna is local there is no need for a
complex power management system.
Strictly local architecture means robustness against partial damage!
11

Power Transmission Capabilities

Power (and deployed size)

comparable to that of a
first-revenue system
described in Ref. [1]:

If transparent patch
antennas are used,
multiply by 4

Figure 11. Power transmitted as a function of balloon diameter for various values of the solar cell

A.C. Charania, J.R. Olds,

and d. Depasquale,
Operational Demonstration
of Space Solar Power
(SSP); Economic Analysis
of a First Revenue Satellite
(FRS). 2011.
-- but achievable in one
launch.

Packaging for Launch

Figure 13. Stowed diameter as a function of the inflated balloon diameter.

Orbit Lifetime
U. S, Standard
Atmosphere, averaged
over Solar max/min
Ballistic Coefficient =2X
areal density of the skin
Aerodynamics only
Radiation thrust not
included. With thrust, can
sustain 1500km
Radiation thrust provides
a powerful propulsion
system!

Summary Sketch of the Concept

Random Tessellation to
prevent grating lobes

Unique features:
Its structure is extremely simple and can be fit
into many launch vehicle payload envelopes.

~ 1 km

It can gather solar power from any angle and

beam power in any direction (s) without slewing
or structural deformation.

It has no moving parts.

Printed solar array
elements

It can optimally approximate any desired field

distribution on the ground.

Printed microwave
transmitter elements

It requires no in-space assembly or construction

It has no control/structure feedback so the
system is guaranteed dynamically stable.

Transmitter
Solar cell

Solar cell

Substrate layer

transceivers

The operation of the phased array is adaptive

so that even if severely damaged, the system can
retain some level of useful performance.

12

An Extended Application:
Placed at GEO, Power Star is easily designed to produce
power densities that are safe for humans on the ground
But if an intruder should approach within just a few hundred
kilometers, Power Star can be run in active mode and irradiate
the target with enormous power density

13

Power Distribution on the Target Plane

If:

At 36,000 km,
power density =
1/10 sun
x 1.04 z DA
z Distance
Wavelength
DA Diameter

Then:
At 1000 km,
power density =

(36)2 x 0.1Sun =
130 Suns (!)

Orbital Debris Clearance

RE

HP

RE H P , 0

Line of initial LOS contact

Simple geometry used to estimate de-orbit time of a debris object due to Power Star

Complete time history of the altitude of the debris object

De-orbit in 70 days

Orbital Debris Problem

Orbital Boost

1, 2: Debris clearance
3, 4, 5: Orbital boosts

Rapidly Deployable Power Generation / Air and Missile Defense

At a forward operating base, lay out Solar-Microwave rugs.
Whatever the mode of operation, the rugs need not be flat nor does one need a continuous
sheet (there can be minor gaps)

For power generation, use only the solar cells. If receiving power from Power Star, engage
transceivers
Trans
mitter
Solar cell
Power
connector
s

Solar cell
Conductive coating (ground)

Substrate layer

14

Rapidly Deployable Power Generation / Air and Missile Defense

Using power direct from solar cells or another source, operate beam forming in active mode.
This means irradiate target, sense return and use as beacon signal. Beam forming proceeds as
described for Power Star.

15

Space System Design Courses (D. Hyland)

Some Basic Objectives

Provide an open-ended, realistic design challenge that demands the creative

efforts of students.

Open-ended design goes on everywhere and all the time in the aerospace
community
Design is very different from the analytical exercises that are familiar to
most undergraduates.
Replicate as closely as possible the design processes and teamwork that are
prevailing norms in the aerospace community
Ensure that the class work receives a hard look from external evaluators
using prevailing, community-wide standards, and

Refine the design using

concurrent engineering
design facilities(Bring
classes to JPL Team X,
Ames Mission Design
Center, etc.)

Questions?
Id put my money on the sun
and solar energy. What a source
of power! I hope we dont have
to wait until oil and coal run out
before we tackle that.

Thomas Edison, 1931.

Target Wavelength Regimes

29

30

31

32

33

Phase Conjugation Circuit

VM VB cos B t B VLO cos LO t

Transmitter
Amplifier

VB
Mixer

Local Oscillator

VF

VM

Low-pass filter

LO 2B

cos LO B t B
1

= VBVLO
2
cos LO B t B
1
VBVLO cos B t B cos 3B t B
2
1
VF VBVLO cos B t B
2

Analog Phase Locked Loop

APLL & LO, for transmitter k

Lk
_

Phase Detector
(analog multiplier
and filter)

Low pass
filter

Voltage
Controlled
Oscillator
gv =sensitivity of
VCO

VLO k cos 2B t k

C
(>0)

Lk Vref 2B t ref

k k sin k ref 0 , k 1,..., N

mk

gv C

Vref VLO k 0
2

Individual circuit augmented for self-synchronization

Leakage
centered at
2B received
from
neighboring
antennae

Transmitter k

Leakage
centered at
2B
transmitted to
neighboring
antennae

Lk

Low-pass
filter

Mixer

Lk

APLL & LO

m 1,
m k

mk

VLO m cos 2B t m

mk km , real and positive k , m

1

Amplifier
Bandpass
filter
centered
at 2B

Bandpass
filter
centered
at 2B

VLO k cos 2B t k

k k mk sin k m 0

m 1
mk km 0

k , k 1,..., N

Once you learn how to do it, Space Solar Power might be more efficient...
Solar Constant
= rate of energy intercepted by
one square meter at normal
incidence in space at 1 AU
from the Sun

= 1367 W/m2
This means you can collect 12 MW-Hrs/m2 in
a year, in space
Source of Ground-level
attenuation

Attenuation Factor

Atmospheric

~0.6

(absorption & weather)

Average inclination

~0.5

Day/night

0.5 to 0.25

Net attenuation
~ 0.15 to 0.07
So, collecting solar power in space
(if you can do it) could be much
more dependable and efficient.

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30. For information related to the nature of the orbital debris problem, the following seminar presentation was used:
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110014006.pdf
This was a presentation given by J.-C. Liou of the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office given at the OCT Technical Seminar, June 15th 2011.