The Space Power Grid: Synergy between space, energy and security policies

Abstract

The dream of abundant solar-powered electricity from Space can be realized through global synergy between renewable energy, climate control and space development initiatives. A 3phase plan is linked to the policy approaches needed to implement it. The 17-year initial phase will use a constellation of low/mid earth orbit satellites exchanging beamed power between 100 plants. Larger satellites with high-intensity converters, will replace the aging first set, receiving focused light from ultralight collectors in a scalable path to space solar power. European initiatives for a DC grid to integrate space and terrestrial solar power provide policy guidance. While technical challenges remain, the SPG integrates terrestrial systems at all size scales from utilities to household micro renewable energy systems.

Space Power System - Motivation, Review and Vision

“…This also sets a market context for concepts to convert solar power directly to beamed energy -a prospect with many applications. The following description is taken from Komerath (2007), with stages illustrated in Figures 21 and 22. Briefly, the SPG approach is a 3-phase process to bring about full SSP.…”

Orbits design for Leo space based solar power satellite system

“…The LEO [12] satellite system was proposed by Dr. Narayan Komerath [13] which is relatively close to this thesis topic. Dr. Narayan [14] describes mostly concerns about the transmission system, cost, etc. This thesis topic describes in detail the constellation design of these satellite systems.…”