An overview of microwave beamed power concepts is given in outline form. Concepts such as power transmission to operational satellites, spacecraft propulsion, lunar/planetary outpost power and planetary rover propulsion are listed in chart form and characterized in columns titled power level, benefits, and comments

Faymon, Karl A.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

N90-10155
OVERVIEW OF MICROWAVE CONCEPTS
NASA
Karl Faymon
Lewis Research Center
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POSSIBLE APPLICATION SCENARIOS FOR BEAMED POWER
SPACE BASED APPLICATIONS
• SPACE-TO-SPACE
• SPACE-TO-PLANETARY SURFACE
PLANETARY SURFACE BASED
' SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
' SURFACE-TO-ORBIT
OPERATIONS
THE SCENARIOS PRESENTED HERE ARE NOT THE RESULT OF
ANY "DETAILED" ANALYSIS• THEY REPRESENT "ZERO th ORDER"
ESTIMATIONS AND ARE PRESENTED TO FOSTER DISCUSSION
ON THE VIABILITY OF BEAMED POWER TRANSMITTION.
BEAM POWER TRANSMISSION
APPLICATIONS: SPACE BASED OPERATIONS - SPACE-TO-SPACE.
Concept Ref. Technology Pow. Level Attributes Benefits Comments
Non-propulslve
• Central sta.
power for
space
complexes.
• Power trans.
to
operational
satellites.
Propulsive
• Orbit
raising/
orbit
operations.
MultI-MW.
lO0's to
MW's.
MultI-HN.
Isolation of nuclear
power source from
inhabited stations.
Multiple users served
from single source.
Isolation of nuclear
power source from
user satellites.
Higher payload mass
fractions on
satellites.
Centralized power
system systems for
LEO-GEO/orbital ops.
electric propulsion
vehicles.
Increased payload
mass fractions for
transit vehicles.
Reduced costs
- Econ. of scale.
- Reduced operat.
costs.
• Power costs in
space reduced
by one-half.
Reduced costs
- Econ. of scale.
- Reduced oper.
COSTS.
• Satellite pay-
load increased
by 20 percent.
Reduced costs
- Econ. of scale.
- Reduced oper.
COSTS*
• Vehicle payload
increased by
factor of 2,
Space operations more complex;
- Avoidance of beam paths.
- May need relay stations.
- Requires siting of facilities.
Simplified station/satellite design;
- Eliminates solar panels and
storage for solar power systems.
Complex space operations;
- Avoidance of beam paths.
- Requires multiple power
satellites for coverage.
• Handover operations as satellites
pass from one power source to
another.
Simplifies satellite design;
- Same reason as above.
Use of electrical propulslon for
Earth-moon space orbit operations.
- May extend trlp time; questionable
for manned operations.
- May require multiple power sources
for viable op's scenarios.
• Roving power sources required?
Simplified vehicle design;
- Same reason as above.
KAF: BEAM POWER; JSF (166), 9/4/88.
288
BEAM POWER TRANSMISSION
APPLICATIONS: SPACE BASED OPERATIONS - SPACE-TO-PLANETARY SURFACE.
Concept Ref. Technology Pow./Level Attributes Benefits Comments
Non-propulslve
• Power for
exploratory/
initial
manned
landing on
Mars.
• Lunar/
planetary
outpost
power.
• Space Power
Satellite
for
terrestrial
power.
Propulsive
• Planetary
rovers/
aample
collectors.
• Mars
airplane.
lOts KWs.
lO's KWs.-
lO0's _s.
lO's KWs.
No need to land power
system for initial
Mars landing team.
• Uses excess power
from Earth-Mars
transit vehicle
while in Mars
"holding orbit".
Temporary/permanent
power sources to
support exploration
activities.
Power supply for a
distributed surface
infrastructure.
Solar power supply
for terrestrial
needs.
Renewable energy
resource its
atmosph, intrusion.
Reduced mess of rover
system,
Could service any
number of rovers.
- Rovers could be
widely spread.
Could make Mars air-
plane a vlable con-
cept for Mars
exploration.
- Extremely flexible
exploration system.
Reduced mass of
of Earth-Mars
transit vehicle.
- Separate power
system not
required for
surface op's.
• NO estimate.
No need to land
separate power
system to support
temporary outpost
or exploration
activities,
• Reduce pOWer
costs by i/2.
Environmentally
attractive system.
• Protects the
Earth's
atmosphere
Higher rover pay-
mass fraction
- Greater mobility
for rover.
• Could increase
rover P/L by
I/2.
Mars airplane does
not need its own
power source.
- Increase in
range for plane.
• NO estimate of
benefits.
Requires electric propulsion
Earth-Mars transit vehicle.
- MultI-MW required for transit
not needed at planet. Surface
operations requires 10's _s
only.
Cannot est. ben'fts at this time.
Requlzes "orbltlng/stationary"
power satelllte.
- Specialized orbit requirements.
- May be attractive for low-power
activities on surface.
• Could use solar based power.
- Could cover wide surface area.
High inital cost.
Transportation to orbit;
- Launch system atmospheric effects.
Environ. effects of power beam?
Siting may be a problem.
Power to be aupplled by orbiting
satellite/statlon.
- Specialized orbit requirements
for orbiting station.
- Rover must have provision for
loss of beam (shadowing).
Power to be supplied by orbiting
satelllte/station.
- Specialized orbit requirements
for orbiting station.
- Could require a number of
orbiting stations for vast
surface coverage.
KAF: BEAM POWER: JSF (167) 9/4/88.
289
BEAH POWER TRANSMISSION
APPLICATIONS: PLANETARY SURFACE BASED OPERATIONS.
SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
Concept Ref. Technology Pow./Level Attributes Benefits Comments
Non-propulslve
• Central eta.
power for
surface
complexes.
Propulsive
• Planetary
surface
exploration
vehicles.
(Surface/
Air)
Multi-MW.
10-100
l_'s.
Isolation of nuclear
poeer source from
inhabited stations.
Hultlple users served
from a slngle
eource.
Reduced _,es of
transportation
8ystele.
Could service any
of trans, systems.
Reduced costs
- Econ. of scale,
- Reduced operet.
COSTS.
- Eliminate land
lines across
hostile terr.
• Reduce power
costs by 2/3.
Higher transport
system payload
mass fractions.
• Increase pay-
load mass
fraction by
50 percent
Requires soma clustering of op'e.
- Could use fixed relay stations
for wldely spaced complexes.
• Incurs addltional transmission
losses.
- Eliminate maintenance of
transmlsslon/dlstrlbutlon system
for "conventional" utility on
planetary surface.
Power from fixed station may have
to be augmented by relay stations.
- Incurs additional transmission
losses.
Could result in a hlghly flexlble
transportatlon/exploratlon system
with supporting infrastructure.
SURFACE-TO-'ORBIT
Concept Ref. Technology Pow./Level Attributes Benefits Colments
Non-propulsive
• LEO-GEO
orbit
raising.
lO0's
KW's.
Multi-
MW's.
Increased payload
mass fraction of
transport vehicle
with electric
propulsion.
Reduced cost of
dellvering mass
to orbit.
• Increase
payload mass
fraction by
factor of 2.
Power system located on Earth surface.
Operational complexity:
- Requires LEO staging point.
- Ascent in equatorlal plane,
• Plane change with electric
propulsion impractical.
- Power Station siting difficult.
• Vehicle In-sight of station
small portion of orbit.
• Longer trip times.
- Multiple stations may be needed
to make this concept viable.
KAF: BEAR PONER: JSF (168), 9/5/88.
290


Overview of microwave concepts

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