Space Solar Power:

An Investment of Today-An Energy Solution

for Tomorrow
R.Ratna Sagar, N.T.S. Naga Raju

Department Of Electrical And Electronic Engineering,

Andhra Loyola Institute Of Engineering And Technology, Vijayawada, Krishna (District),

Andhra Pradesh

ratnasagar@rocketmail.com, nts.nts.2160009@gmail.com

Abstract:

“Necessity is the mother of invention. Energy crisis is the cry of future”.

The historical and the present-day civilization are
closely interwoven with energy and in future, our
existence will be more dependent upon energy. The
conventional sources of energy, the most important pre-
requisite for power generation are depleting fast. The
world is heading toward a global energy crisis mostly
due to running out to these energy sources; decresing
the dependency on fossil fuels is recommended.yet, the
sources of energy are infinite. The great task today is to
exploit the non-conventional energy sources for power
generation.
Space Solar Power (SSP), combined with wireless
power transmission (WPT) offers the far-term potential
to solve major energy problems on earth. This paper
deals the general idea of space solar power and Space
Solar Power Satellites. It covers the history of space
solar power ,principle of working ,design aspects and
pro’s and con’s of space solar power .Finally it
concludes with the safety and environmental concerns
of solar power.
1. INTRODUCTION:
The demand for energy has been continuously
increasing in the country at about a rate of 8% per
annum with present energy and peaking shortages
about 7% and 16% respectively. On the basis during
of 15thelectric power survey, the required power
generation capacity addition during 9thplan is
estimated to be 44730 MW .This is addition to an
additional capacity of about 13000MW required for
meeting the peak short ages. The actual energy
situation in many individualcountry like India is quite
serious. With 6 billion tons of carbon emission each
year, global warming at unprecedented rates, danger
of acid rain and climate changes not speak of the
finite and exhaustible nature of fossil fuel resources,
it is clear that end of the fossil fuel age is in sight and
the transition to a solar energy economy has began all
over the world. Compared to fossil fuels, the SUN
promises to be infinite source of energy. Technology
has already created the ability to harness the sun
cheaply and efficiently without the drawbacks of
fossil fuels. Each year the earth receives an energy
input from the sun equal to 15000 times the world’s
commercial energy consumption and over 100 times
the world’s proven coal, gas, oil reserves. India
receives solar energy equivalent to over 5000 KW
per year which is far more than the total energy
consumption of the country.
 2. HISTORY: 3. DESIGN AND WORKING:

The SPS concept, originally known as Satellite Solar

Power System (“SSPS”) was first described in
November 1968.In 1973 Peter Glaser was granted
U.S.patent number 3781647 for his method of
transmitting power over long distances (e g from an
SPS to the Earth’s surface) using microwaves from a
very large (up to one square kilometer) antenna on
the satellite to a much larger one on the ground, now
known as a rectenna.

The study remains the most extensive performed to

date. Several reports were published investigating
possible problems with such an engineering project.
They include:

• Resource requirements

• Financial scenarios
Space-based solar power essentially consists of 3
• Public acceptance parts:

• State and local regulations as 1. A means of collecting solar power in space,

applied to satellite power system for example via solar cells or a heat engine.
microwave receiving antenna
facilities 2. A means of transmitting power to earth, for
example via microwave or laser.
• Centralization / decentralization
3. A means of receiving power on earth, for
• Mapping of exclusion areas for example via a microwave antennas
rectenna sites (rectenna)

• Space transportation The space-based portion will be in a freefall, vacuum

• Meteorological effects on laser
beam propagation and direct solar
pumped lasers
More recently, the SPS concept has again become
interesting, due to increased energy demand,
increased energy cost emission implications.
In 1999, NASA’s Space Solar Power Exploratory
Research and Technology programme (SERT) was
initiated for developing a solar power satellite (SPS)
concept for feature gigawatt space power systems to
provide electrical power by converting the sun’s
energy and beaming it to the earth’s surface with
concentrator lenses or solar dynamic engines to
convert solar flux into electricity.
environment and will not need to support itself
against gravity other than relatively weak tidal
stresses. It needs no protection from terrestrial wind
or weather, but will have to cope with space-based
hazards such as micrometeorites and solar storms, the
reason that the SPS must be so large has to do with
the physics of power beaming. The smaller the
transmitter array, the larger the angle of divergence
of the transmitted beam.
Basically in case of SSP two types of satellites are
deployed. They are:
1. Super synchronous solar power satellite
2. Fixed geosynchronous solar power satellite
SUPER SYNCHRONOUS SOLAR POWER
SATELLITE:
It is proposed here to analyze a solar power satellite
put into a completely different orbit, the earth-sun L-
2 halo orbit which is referred to as a super
synchronous location for a solar power satellite. It is
perfectly suited to fill in night power to solar arrays
which receive solar power during the daytime. This
allows a ground-based solar array field to be
“upgraded” to a 24-hour power source, and hence, by
upgrading the status of the power from “intermittent”
to “baseload,”increases the selling price of the power
from low intermittent power levels, to higher base
load power levels.
FIXED GEOSYNCHRONOUS SOLAR POWER
SATELLITE:
The satellite designed with the criteria that maximum
simplicity; no moving parts; mission is to power
when ground solar power is not available; a fixed
microwave transmitter is permanently mounted on a
bifacial solar array, which can be illuminated from
either side. Figures show that this concept produces
maximum power at dawn and at dusk, with zero
power production at noon and at midnight.
By employing a fixed transmitter attached to the
solar array, the power management and distribution
system size can be greatly simplified and reduced in
mass, the difficulties associated with power transfer
from the array to the transmitter are minimized, and
the mass and cost of the SPS are reduced. The new
SPS needs only gravity-gradient stabilization to
ensure that the transmitter remains pointed to the
rectenna site on the earth.
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
(SOLAR PHOTONS TO DC CURRENT):
Two basic methods of converting sunlight to
electricity have been studied: photovoltaic (PV)
conversion, and solar dynamic (SD) conversion.
Most analyses of solar power satellites have focused
on photovoltaic conversion (commonly known as
“solar cells”). Photovoltaic conversion uses
semiconductor cells to directly convert photons into
electrical power via a quantum mechanical
mechanism. Photovoltaic cells are not perfect in
practice, as material purity and processing issues
during production affect performance; each has been
progressively improved for some decades. Some
new, thin-film approaches are less efficient (about 20
% vs., 35 % for best in class in each case), but are
much less expensive and generally lighter. In an SPS
implementation, photovoltaic cells will likely be
rather different from the glass-pane protected solar
cell panels familiar to many from current terrestrial
use, since they will be optimized for weight, and will
be designed to be tolerant to the space radiation
environment, but will not need to be encapsulated power satellites. The smaller scale reduces the initial
against corrosion by the elements. They may not capital investment.
require the structural support required for terrestrial
use, where the considerable gravity loading imposes
structural requirements implementations.
WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION TO THE
FIXED DESIGN WITH INTEGRATED EARTH:
MICROWAVE TRANSMITTER:

If the design constraint of a single array is relaxed,

two arrays can be base lined, and the arrays can be
tilted outward to accommodate the actual demand
peak (after subtraction of solar) at 8 AM and 4 PM.
With the addition of tilt, it is no longer true that the
microwave beam is perpendicular to the solar arrays.
Wireless power transmission was early proposed to
The backside of each solar array is in the view of the
transfer energy from collection to the Earth’s surface.
earth. A significant difficulty of the earlier design is
The power could be transmitted as either microwave
the fact that the initial size of the system requires an
or laser radiation at a variety of frequencies
extremely high initial investment. The redesign of the
depending on system design. Whatever choice made,
solar power satellite opens the possibility of
the transmitting radiation would have to be non-
integrating the solar array directly to the microwave
ionizing to avoid potential disturbances either
transmission. By placing solid-state microwave
ecologically or biologically if it reach the earth’s
transmitters directly on the back of the solar array,
surface. This established an upper bound for the
power management and distribution, as well as all
frequency used, as energy per photon, and so the
voltage conversion, is eliminated.
ability to cause ionization, increases with frequency.
Figure shows the conceptual design for a satellite to Ionization of biological materials doesn’t begin until
deliver maximum power at 8 AM and 4 PM, where ultraviolet or higher frequencies so most radio
the back side of each array is an integrated frequencies will be acceptable for this.
microwave transmitter. The advantages of integration
To minimize the sizes of the antennas used, the
of the solar arrays and the transmitter are discussed in
wavelength should be small since antenna efficiency
reference and by integrating solar array with the
increases as antenna size increase relative to the
microwave transmitter; the transmitter aperture
wavelength used. More precisely, both for the
becomes as large as the solar array area. This results
transmitting and antennas, the angular beam width
in a narrower beam. A narrow beam allows smaller
are inversely proportional to the antenna, measured in
rectenna areas, thereby permitting much smaller solar
units of the transmission wavelength. The highest
frequencies that can be used are limited by
 atmospheric absorption (chiefly water vapor and
CO2) at higher microwave frequencies.
The 50 Hz ac power tapped from the grid lines is
stepped down to a suitable voltage level for
rectification into dc. This is supplied to an oscillator
fed magnetron. The microwave power output of the
magnetron is channeled into an array of parabolic
reflector antennas for transmission to the receiving
end antennas. To compensate for the large loss in free
space propagation and boost at the receiving end the
signal strength as well as the conversion efficiency,
the antennas are connected in array. A series parallel
assembly of schottky diodes, having a low standing
power rating but good RF characteristics is used at
the receiving end to rectify the received microwave
power back into dc. Inverter is used to invert the dc
power into ac. A simple radio control feedback
system operating in FM band provides an appropriate
control signal to the magnetron for adjusting its
output level with fluctuation in the consumers
demand at the receiving side.
EARTH-BASED INFRASTRUCTURE
(RECTENNA):
The Earth-based receiver antenna (or rectenna) is a
critical part of the original SPS concept. It would
probably consist of many short dipole antennas,
connected via diodes. Microwaves broadcast from the
SPS will be received in the dipoles with about 85%
efficiency. With a conventional microwave antenna,
the reception efficiency is still better, but the cost and
complexity is also considerably greater, almost
certainly prohibitively so. Rectennas would be
multiple kilometers across. Crops and farm animals
may be raised underneath a rectenna, as the thin
wires used for support and for support and for the
dipoles will only slightly reduce sunlight, so such a
rectenna would not be as expensive in terms of land
use as might be supposed.
SPS SIZING:
The size of an SPS will be dominated by two factors.
The size of the collecting apparatus (e.g., panels,
mirrors, etc) and the size of the transmitting antenna
which in part depends on the distance to the receiving
antenna. The distance from Earth to geostationary
orbit (22300 miles, 35700km), the chosen
wavelength of the microwaves, and the laws of
physics, specifically the Rayleigh Criterion or
Diffraction limit, used in standard RF (Radio
Frequency) antenna design will all be factors.
It has been suggested that, for best efficiency, the
satellite antenna (antenna) should be elliptical, 10km
wide, and a length that makes the rectenna appear
circular. Smaller antennas would result in increased
losses to diffraction/side lobes. For the desired NON-CONVENTIONAL LAUNCH METHODS:
(23mW/cm2) microwave intensity these antennas
could transfer between 5 and 10 gigawatts of power.

To be most effective, the system should operate at

maximum capacity. And, to collect and convert that
much power, the satellite would require between 50
to 100 square kilometers of collector area. State of
the art solar cells with a maximum efficiency of
40.7% could reduce the collector area by two thirds,
but would not necessarily give overall lower cost for
various reasons

LEO INSTEAD OF GEO:

SBSP costs might be reduced if a means of putting

the materials into orbit were developed that did not
rely on rockets. Some possible technologies include
ground launch systems such as mass drivers or
Lofstrom loops, which would launch using electrical
A collection of LEO (Low Earth Orbit) space power
power, or the geosynchronous orbit space elevator.
stations has been proposed as a precursor to GEO
However, these require technology that is yet to be
(Geostationary Orbit) space power beaming systems.
developed.
There would be both advantages (much shorter
energy transmission path lengths allowing smaller Advanced techniques for launching from the moon
antenna sizes, lower cost to orbit, energy delivery to may reduce the cost of building a solar power
much of the Earth’s surface, assuming appropriate satellite from lunar materials. Some proposed
antennas are available, etc.) and disadvantages techniques include the lunar mass driver and the
(constantly changing antenna geometries, increased lunar space elevator, first described by Jerome
debris collision difficulties, requirement of many Pearson. It would require establishing silicon mining
more power stations to provide continuous power and solar cell manufacturing facilities on the Moon.
delivery at any particular point on the Earth’s surface,
etc.). It might be possible to deploy LEO systems
sooner than GEO because the antenna development
would take less time, but it would certainly take
longer to prepare and launch the number of required
3. ADVANTAGES OF SPACE SOLAR POWER:
satellites. Ultimately, because full engineering
feasibility studies have not been conducted, it is not
• Unlike oil, gas, ethanol, and coal plants,
known whether this approach would be an
space solar power does not emit greenhouse
improvement over a GEO installation.
gases.

• Unlike coal and nuclear plants, space solar

power does not compete for or depend upon
increasingly scarce fresh water resources.
• Unlike bio-ethanol or bio-diesel, space solar
polar does not compete for increasingly
valuable farm land or depend on natural-gas-
derived fertilizer. Food can continue to be a
major export instead of a fuel provider.
• Unlike nuclear power plants, space solar
power will not produce hazardous waste,
which needs to be stored and guarded for
hundreds of years.
• Unlike terrestrial solar and wind power
plants, space solar power is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, in huge
quantities. It works regardless of cloud
cover, daylight, or wind speed.
• Unlike nuclear power plants, space solar
power does not provide easy targets for
terrorists.
• Unlike coal and nuclear flues, space solar
power does not require environmentally
problematic mining operations.
• Space solar power will not require
dependence on unstable or hostile foreign oil
providers to meet energy needs, enabling us
to expend resources in other ways.
4. DISADVANTAGES OF SPACE SOLAR
POWER:
• Storage of electricity during off peak
demand hours.
• The frequency of beamed radiation is
planned to be at 2.45 GHz and this
frequency is used by communication
satellites also.
• The entire structure is massive.
• High initial cost and require much time for
construction.
• Radiation hazards associated with the
system.
5. CONCLUSION:
The economic case for a solar power satellite is
most compelling if the solar power satellite can
generate power that sells at peak, rather than
average, price... several new designs for solar
power satellites were considered, in an attempt to
maximize the amount of power produced at peak
rates. This study has given researchers a
remarkable insight into uncertain future of
development of power from space.
1. The advantage of space solar power
over terrestrial solar system is one order
of magnitude larger solar power in
space than on earth. The disadvantage is
the high cost of transportation of the
required facilities in space. Even if
reusable space transportation system
under development realize lower cost.
2. To facilitate research on this power
system as future energy source to
complete with other sustainable energy
candidates it is necessary to consider
the space solar power system as a
variation of solar power systems now
under research and development for
terrestrial use.
3. It is practical to apply concept of
microwave fuel as the interface between
space power suppliers and buyers, as
utility power suppliers and consumer
are related to each other by standard of
commercial electric power. Considering
that properly selector microwave
frequency makes it possible for users to
plan and even build their rectenna.
4. To reduce transportation cost, we
should choose LEO rather than GEO.
5. The SPS-2000 can serve exclusively the
equatorial zone especially benefiting
geographically isolated lands. This will
be an aspect of societal issues which
wasn’t discussed in CDEP.
 REFEERENCES:

• P.E. Glaser «Method and Apparatus for Converting

Solar radiation to Electrical Power», U.S. Patent 3 781
647, 1973.
• R. Bryan Erb, "Space-Based Solar Power –How Soon
and How Much?” 49th Congress
oftheInternationalAstronauticalFederation, PaperIAF-
98-R.2.02, Melbourne, Australia, September 28 -
October 2, 1998.
• WEC/IIASA, Global Energy Perspectives,
Nakicenovic, Nebojsa, et al, Cambridge University
Press, 1998.
• P. E. Glaser, "An overview of the solar power satellite
option," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and
Techniques, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 1230-1238, June 1992.
• W. C. Brown and E. E. Eves, "Beamed microwave
power transmission and its application to space," IEEE
Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques,
vol. 40, no. 6, June 1992.
• World Energy Council, "Energy for Tomorrow’s
World - Acting Now", WEC Statement 2000,
www.worldenergy.org
• www.nspri.com
• www.scribd.com
• www.nss.org
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.space.alglobus.net