An economically viable space power relay system

This paper describes and analyses the economics of a power relay system that takes advantage of recent technological advances to implement a system that is economically viable. A series of power relay systems are described which transport power ranging from 1250 to 5000 MW and distribute it to receiving sites at transcontinental distances. It is shown that, when offering electricity at prices competitive to those prevalent in developed cities in the USA, that a low IRR is inevitable, and economic feasibility of a business is unlikely. However, when the target market is Japan, where the prevalent electricity prices are much higher an IRR exceeding 65% is readily attainable. This is extremely attractive to potential investors, making capitalization of a venture likely. The paper shows that the capital investment required for the system can be less than $1 per installed watt, contributing less than 0.02 $ to the cost of energy provision. Since selling prices in feasible regions range from 0.18 to over 0.30 $, these costs are but a small fraction of the operating expenses. Thus a very large IRR is possible for such a business.     

一种紧凑型高效率毫米波整流天线

为了提高毫米波无线输能系统的接收端效率,设计了一款基于缝隙耦合馈电的紧凑型高效率毫米波整流天线,该整流天线通过划分子阵,每个子阵单独进行能量转换,采用直流合成的方式进行整合输出,具有尺寸小、剖面低、易共形等特点。天线采用缝隙耦合馈电,馈线和辐射贴片分别在地板的两侧,有效的减少天线电路之间的影响,同时增大了天线的有效辐射面积。后端整流电路采用单二极管并联整流拓扑,利用扇形枝节作为直通滤波器进行直流滤波。该整流天线工作频率为35GHz,天线阵列增益为23.4dBi,实测在17dBm接收功率下具有最高58.65%的整流效率,可广泛应用于毫米波无线输能系统中。     

新型大尺度空间微波功率发射阵列的考虑

以空间太阳能电站为应用代表的微波功率传输系统中,微波功率发射阵列是其中的核心组成部分。为保证特定传输距离限制下的波束收集效率,目前国际上多种空间太阳能电站方案中收发天线口径都达到了km级以上。在空间构建大尺度的微波功率发射有源相控阵,面临的主要问题有：发射阵列电性能的高要求、发射阵列折叠状态的总体积限制、大功率发射阵列的热控问题。针对这些问题,文章提出了新型大尺度空间微波功率发射阵列的一些研究及设计考虑,主要包括大尺度阵列同源分发倍频的频率分配方案;高效率高集成功率发射组件技术;大尺度阵列相位同步与误差自校正技术;低剖面天线结构及型面误差补偿技术;大型天线3D打印在轨建造方案设想以及空间微波功率发射阵列热控新思路等。文章提出了新型大尺度空间微波功率发射阵列3个方面的6个主要问题,可为空间太阳能电站系统提供可优化、开放性的设计与发展思路。     

Can power from space compete?

This report summarizes the findings of a report entitled Can Power from Space Compete? produced for NASA by Resources for the Future (RFF). In considering how well satellite solar power (SSP) is likely to compete in the market for electricity from the present to 2020, it finds that neither perceived shortages of fossil fuel nor climate change factors are likely to be major issues in this time frame. Moreover, the high costs of SSP and possible concerns over public health and national security will continue to constrain its development. This does not mean, however, that R&D into the subject should cease; it may well have a future in the short term when applied to non-terrestrial systems. The full report is available at http://www.rff.org.     

Heat storage and electricity generation in the Moon during the lunar night

One of the biggest challenges of the exploration of the Moon is the survival of the crew and the lunar assets during the lunar night. The environmental conditions on the lunar surface and its cycle, with long periods of darkness, make any long mission in need of specific amounts of heat and electricity to be successful. We have analyzed two different systems to produce heat and electricity on the Moon's surface. The first system consists of Thermal Wadis, sources of thermal power that can be used to supply heat to protect the exploration systems from the extreme cold during periods of darkness. Previous results showed that Wadis can supply enough heat to keep lunar devices such as rovers above their minimum operating temperature (approximately 243 K). The second system studied here is the Thermal Energy Storage (TES), which is able to run a heat engine during the lunar night to produce electricity. When the Sun is shining on the Moon's surface, the system can run the engine directly using the solar power and simultaneously heat a thermal mass. This thermal mass is used as a high temperature source to run the heat engine during the night. We present analytical and numerical calculations for the determination of an appropriate thermal mass for the TES system.     

The cost of reaching orbit: Ground-based launch systems

The high cost of launching payloads into orbit - roughly $20,000/kg - continues to deter large-scale exploration and exploitation of space. Ground-based launch systems may radically reduce costs to $200/kg, drastically altering the economics of spaceflight. Low costs will encourage the creation of new markets, including solar-based power satellites and disposal of nuclear waste. The US government should establish a goal of $200/kg by 2020 and provide the resources needed to develop such systems.     

嫦娥四号中继星供配电分系统可靠性设计与验证

针对嫦娥四号中继星的轨道特点、在轨工作模式和任务要求,供配电分系统采用半调节母线拓扑结构和电源调节与配电控制一体化的方案实现了集成化、轻量化设计需求。重点识别了供配电分系统可靠性设计的关键要素,从供电可靠性、能源安全性和在轨能源管理等方面进行分析和设计,并进行了充分的地面专项验证试验。通过在轨多种工况考核和遥测数据分析可知,供配电分系统工作正常,满足设计要求。     

空间测控卫星技术进展

根据国际发展和国内需求,对空间测控卫星系统的技术进展进行了简要的综述,重点从总体设计角度对其主要技术特点和关键技术攻关内容进行了深入的剖析,以期对相关技术的研究和设施建设能有所启示和推动。     

国外中继卫星对航天器交会对接的测控通信支持

中继卫星系统的天基测控通信是近代航天技术的重大突破,它能够有效地满足航天器交会对接的测控通信需要。文章分析了美国＂跟踪与数据中继卫星系统＂（TDRSS）和欧洲＂阿特米斯＂（ARTEMIS）中继卫星对＂自动转移飞行器＂（ATV）与＂国际空间站＂（ISS）交会对接任务的测控通信支持,总结了国外中继卫星系统支持航天器交会对接...     

基于碱金属辅助电离的等离子鞘套模拟方法

为解决再入过程中通信黑障与探测异常问题，对等离子体鞘套地面模拟方法进行了研究。以RAM C-II 飞行试验为依据，计算了等离子体鞘套的参数范围。分析现有模拟设备，概括提出了高焓低速风洞的模拟方案，选取相适应的放电方式，并对流量功率进行了计算。针对高温环境对电磁设备造成损坏以及所需功率难以实现的问题，提出添加碱金属的解决方案，并进行了试验验证。试验结果表明，添加碱金属可以使电子密度提升约一个数量级。对方案效果进行评估，预期功率需求降至兆瓦量级。     

Recent advances in lunar base simulation

This article reports about the results of the latest computer runs of a lunar base simulation model. The lunar base consists of 20 facilities for lunar mining, processing and fabrication. The infrastructure includes solar and nuclear power plants, a central workshop, habitat and farm. Lunar products can be used for construction of solar power systems (SPS) or other spacecraft at several space locations. The simulation model evaluates the mass, energy and manpower flows between the elements of the system as well as system cost and cost of products on an annual basis for a given operational period. The 1983 standard model run over a fifty-years life cycle (beginning about the year 2000) was accomplished for a mean annual production volume of 78 180 Mg of hardware products for export resulting in average specific manufacturing cost of 8.4 $/kg and total annual cost of 1.25 billion dollars during the life cycle. The reference space transportation system uses LOX/LH₂ propulsion for which at the average 210 500 Mg LOX per year is produced on the moon. The sensitivity analysis indicates the importance of bootstrapping as well as the influence of market size, space transportation cost and specific resources demand on the mean lunar manufacturing cost. The option using lunar resources turns out to be quite attractive from the economical viewpoint. Systems analysis by this lunar base model and further trade-offs will be a useful tool to confirm this.     

European Sail Tower SPS concept

Based on a DLR-study in 1998/99 on behalf of ESA/ESTEC called “System Concepts, Architectures and Technologies for Space Exploration and Utilization (SE&U)” a new design for an Earth-orbiting Solar Power Satellite (SPS) has been developed. The design is called “European Sail Tower SPS” and consists mainly of deployable sail-like structures derived from the ongoing DLR/ESA solar sail technology development activity. Such a SPS satellite features an extremely light-weight and large tower-like orbital system and could supply Europe with significant amounts of electrical power generated by photovoltaic cells and subsequently transmitted to Earth via microwaves. In order to build up the sail tower, 60 units - each consisting of a pair of square-shaped sails - are moved from LEO to GEO with electric propulsion and successively assembled in GEO robotically on a central strut. Each single sail has dimensions of 150m × 150 m and is automatically deployed, using four diagonal light-weight carbon fiber (CFRP) booms which are initially rolled up on a central hub. The electric thrusters for the transport to GEO could also be used for orbit and attitude control of the assembled tower which has a total length of about 15 km and would be mainly gravity gradient stabilized. Employing thin film solar cell technology, each sail is used as a solar array and produces an electric power in orbit of about 3.7 MW_e. A microwave antenna with a diameter of 1 km transmits the power to a 10 km rectenna on the ground. The total mass of this 450 MW SPS is about 2100 tons. First estimates indicate that the costs for one kWh delivered in this way could compete with present day energy costs, if launch costs would decrease by two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, mass production and large numbers of installed SPS systems must be assumed in order to lower significantly the production costs and to reduce the influence of the expensive technology development. The paper presents the technical concept and an economic assessment as well as results of a recent solar sail deployment ground demonstration at DLR's facilities in Cologne.     

空间太阳能电站高低压混合供电系统设计

在调研美国NASA空间太阳能电站(SPS)供配电相关方案的基础上,针对空间太阳能电站平台设备和有效载荷设备两种不同的供电特性要求,提出将高低压混合供电技术应用于空间太阳能电站的供电系统设计。该设计在满足高效对地供电传输要求的同时,能够确保航天器平台自身的稳定、可靠运行。文章介绍了高低压混合供电技术的原理和系统构成;针对系统高于目前在轨卫星6个数量级的超高压需求,分析了高压电缆和高压继电器研制的可行性,得出高压电缆的重点研究方向,即通过材料及结构优化来减小质量、增加散热、减小弯曲半径等,高压继电器的研究方向为研制高压混合继电器(EMPC)中适用于航天任务的高压固态功率管;调研分析了目前常用的空间等离子体被动防护技术和主动防护技术,通过比较,说明主动防护技术更适用于空间太阳能电站的超高压系统,可为我国建设超大功率空间太阳能电站提供技术参考。     

Success criteria for the next generation of space based multimedia systems

It has been almost three years since the great Geostationary Orbit Earth (GEO) Ka-band filing rush concluded at the FCC. The majority of filers have gone on to register their systems with the ITU, creating the most congested new Spectrum band at system startup that the world has ever seen. However, for all the hype, none of the GEO systems are thought yet to have begun to bend metal. All appear consumed with the requirement to find partners with whom to share the business risks, costs and rewards.

This Paper will examine the current state of progress of Kaband systems. Assessments will be made with respect to criteria such as: announced target markets and their appropriateness for the technology proposed; availability of desired technology to enable these systems to achieve their stated goals and a realistic assessment of when these technologies will be deployed; the availability of alternative terrestrial systems to address the same applications and their impact on the GEO Ka-band system target markets; and regulatory issues and paths to insure commercial access.     

燃烧供热热光伏系统实验研究

针对未来深空探测供电需求,设计了一套热光伏发电系统,采用丙烷燃烧器模拟同位素热源,并利用低禁带GaSb电池实现了系统的热电转换。研究了气体流量、过量空气系数、回热器性能、滤波器等对辐射器温度及电池输出功率、系统转换效率的影响。结果表明：电池输出功率随燃气量单调增加,而在一定燃气量下,存在一最优过量空气系数使其达到最大值;同时,回热器和滤波器对辐射器温度和电池输出特性有很大影响;本实验系统可以实现最大输出功率密度0.45W/cm 2,系统转换效率2.8%。     

Early commercial demonstration of space solar power using ultra-lightweight arrays

Space solar power shows great promise for future energy sources worldwide. Most central power stations operate with power capacity of 1000 MW or greater. Due to launch size limitations and specific power of current, rigid solar arrays, the largest solar arrays that have flown in space are around 50 kW. Thin-film arrays offer the promise of much higher specific power and deployment of array sizes up to several MW with current launch vehicles. An approach to early commercial applications for space solar power to distribute power to charge hand-held, mobile battery systems by wireless power transmission (WPT) from thin-film solar arrays in quasi-stationary orbits will be presented. Four key elements to this prototype will be discussed: (1) Space and near-space testing of prototype wireless power transmission by laser and microwave components including WPT space to space and WPT space to near-space HAA transmission demonstrations; (2) distributed power source for recharging hand-held batteries by wireless power transmission from MW space solar power systems; (3) use of quasi-geostationary satellites to generate electricity and distribute it to targeted areas; and (4) architecture and technology for ultra-lightweight thin-film solar arrays with specific energy exceeding 1 kW/kg. This approach would yield flight demonstration of space solar power and wireless power transmission of 1.2 MW. This prototype system will be described, and a roadmap will be presented that will lead to still higher power levels.     

Theoretical and experimental investigation of C60-propellant for ion propulsion

The large mass as well as the low first ionization potential and the large electron impact ionization cross-section make Buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀) potentially attractive as an ion engine propellant. To evaluate the advantages of C₆₀ it was necessary to calculate characteristic quantities like the thrust-beam-power ratio and the different efficiencies. It was found that, compared with xenon, the use of C₆₀ would significantly reduce the necessary beam power by 57 percent for the same power level, resulting in a reduction of power supply mass and thus in a higher payload capacity.

Calculations of the efficiencies show a clear increase in overall efficiency. Particularly, the mass efficiency and the electrical efficiency would increase significantly over that obtained with a xenon-fuelled ion engine. Together with the exceptionally high flexibility of the molecular structure of C₆₀, this results in a very low ablation in the grid system, and consequently in a longer lifetime.

One of the most severe problems in using C₆₀ as propellant for ion engines is the temperature sensitivity of C₆₀. High temperatures cause fragmentation of the C₆₀ molecule, low temperatures lead to resublimation of C₆₀ on the inner walls of the engine. Both would result in a decrease of the mass efficiency. Therefore, extensive experiments with a special ion source were carried out to determine the temperature behavior of an ion thruster.

This and the theoretical research yield in a temperature window (400–700°C) for systems operating with C₆₀.     

Space light: space industrial enhancement of the solar option

The solar option can be enhanced significantly by space light technology. Reflectors in suitable orbits beam to Earth measured amounts of sunlight, the most versatile and bio-compatible energy source. The multitude of space light functions ranges from night illumination of rural and urban areas (by Lunetta systems) to photosynthetic production enhancement for the growth of food and of biomass for conversion to chemical fuels, local agricultural irradiation for crop drying and weather stabilization and to electric power generation by irradiating suitable photovoltaic or thermal ground receivers at night or by adding to the natural solar energy input during daytime (Soletta systems).

The Lunetta and Soletta concepts, developed by the author during the past ten years, building on the foundations laid by the great space pioneer Prof. H. Oberth (1928), are reviewed, along with their socio-economic merits. An assessment of terrestrial alternatives shows that many useful functions have no practical alternative, the major exception being electric power generation. Three systems are selected, bracketing the broad versatility of space light—Lunetta, Powersoletta and a large Biosoletta for large-scale seafood production in Antarctic and Artic waters. The systems, and several maintenance and supply requirements are described, sized and analyzed, along with suitable orbit selection for different applications. Models are developed for rural and urban area lighting, power generation at selected sites around the globe with photovoltaic and thermal ground stations and for the large-scale production of seafood at high southern and northern latitudes with ample nutrient upwell, but insufficient annual supply of solar energy. The economics of these systems is analyzed.     

Cost Engineering – The new paradigm for space launch vehicle design

The paper describes the basic definition and application of 'Cost Engineering' which means to design a vehicle system for minimum development cost and/or for minimum operations cost. This is important now and for the future since space transportation has become primarily a commercial business in contrast to the past where it has been mainly a subject of military power and national prestige. Several examples are presented for minimum-cost space launch vehicle configurations, such as increasing vehicle size and/or the use of less efficient rocket engines in order to reduce development and operations cost. Further a cost comparison is presented on single-stage (SSTO)-vehicles vs. two-stage launchers which shows that SSTOs have lower development and operations cost although they are larger, respectively have a higher lift-off mass than two-stage vehicles with the same performance. The design of a space tourism-dedicated launch vehicle is an extreme challenge for a cost-engineered vehicle design in order to achieve cost per seat not higher than $50,000. Finally an outlook is presented on the different options for manned Earth-to-Moon transportation modes and vehicles – another most important application of 'cost engineering', taking into account the large cost of such a future venture.     

中继卫星系统仿真软件设计与应用*

设计开发中继卫星系统仿真软件,并针对理想信道条件、I/Q幅相不平衡、幅频特性、群时延、相位噪声、功放饱和条件、非线性信道条件这七种信道,仿真16QAM和16APSK的误码率性能,并对仿真结果进行分析。利用仿真平台得出的非线性信道条件下误码率需求与所需信噪比之间的关系,可以作为完善系统技术指标的重要依据,为中继卫星系统后续建设和应用提供重要参考。