Solar Energy, Vol.56, No.1, 97-109, 1996
On the way to creating a system of distant power supply for space vehicles
Using power resources of the outer space and its industrialization have become an urgent task in the development of present day civilization. Solar energy is the most suitable basis for power supply for the majority of projects in the near-Earth space. Passing on to the large-scale space-based systems of power supply requires putting into life demonstration experiments in which power transmission by electromagnetic emission is supposed. In the paper the expedience of developing an autonomous power module which provides the possibility of space programs with great power consumption and wireless transmission system running-up is proved. Ukraine can design a solar power satellite of 10-20 kW power on the basis of the research satellite AUOS-SM. Two variants of design solutions for such satellite with solar arrays of great area are presented. Power transmission to the space vehicle-consumer can be conducted by cable as well as in a wireless way. The possibilities of placing microwave and laser energy transmission systems on board the satellite are analysed. It is shown that a power supply system for space vehicles with transmission distance of thousands km can be designed basing on modem lasers. Some experiments making use of great electric power generated by the plant of the satellite under consideration are proposed. The running-up of electric thrusters which are necessary for orientation and distancing is of great interest. Wireless power transmission may be carried on to a small satellite equipped with electric thrusters.