Large-Scale Space-Based Solar Power Station: Packaging, Deployment and Stabilization of Lightweight Structures
First Claim
1. A space-based solar power station comprising:
- a plurality of unconnected compactible satellite modules disposed in space in an orbital array formation, wherein each of the compactible satellite modules comprises;
a plurality of structural elements moveably interconnected such that the dimensional extent of the satellite modules in at least one axis is compactible;
a plurality of power generation tiles disposed on each of the plurality of moveable elements, each of the power generation tiles having at least one photovoltaic cell and at least one power transmitter collocated thereon, the at least one photovoltaic cell and power transmitter in signal communication such that an electrical current generated by the collection of solar radiation by the at least one photovoltaic cell powers the at least one power transmitter, and where each of the at least one power transmitters comprises;
an antenna; and
control electronics that controls the phase of a radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna so that the power transmitter is coordinated with power transmitters on other power generation tiles to form a phased array.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom, and/or compactible structures and deployment mechanisms used to form and deploy such satellite modules and power generation tiles associated therewith are provided. Each satellite module and/or power generation tile may be formed of a compactable structure and deployment mechanism capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station and reliably deploy it once in orbit.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A space-based solar power station comprising:
a plurality of unconnected compactible satellite modules disposed in space in an orbital array formation, wherein each of the compactible satellite modules comprises; a plurality of structural elements moveably interconnected such that the dimensional extent of the satellite modules in at least one axis is compactible; a plurality of power generation tiles disposed on each of the plurality of moveable elements, each of the power generation tiles having at least one photovoltaic cell and at least one power transmitter collocated thereon, the at least one photovoltaic cell and power transmitter in signal communication such that an electrical current generated by the collection of solar radiation by the at least one photovoltaic cell powers the at least one power transmitter, and where each of the at least one power transmitters comprises; an antenna; and control electronics that controls the phase of a radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna so that the power transmitter is coordinated with power transmitters on other power generation tiles to form a phased array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A satellite module deployment mechanism comprising:
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a cage defining an internal volume configured to contain a satellite module formed from a plurality of slip-wrapped structural elements therein, the cage being comprised of two separable halves of a hollow body, the separable halves further defining two aligned openings accessing the internal volume disposed opposite each other along the line of separation between the two halves; an elongated clip configured to releasably retain a folded stack of the plurality of structural elements, the elongated clip being rotatably disposed within the internal volume of the cage and aligned such that the longitudinal ends of the folded stack of structural elements of the slip-wrapped satellite module are aligned with the two openings; wherein the clip rotates about an axis within the cage as the longitudinal ends of the slip-wrapped structural elements of the satellite module are extended radially outward from the cage to form an elongated stack of structural elements; and wherein the halves of the cage are drawn radially outward away from each other as the structural elements of the elongated stack of structural elements of the slip-wrapped satellite module are unfolded outward from the clip axis. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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- 36. A wrapping guide plug comprising two rotationally symmetric halves of a cylinder having a curved slit running therethrough, wherein the slit has a thickness sufficient to retain a stack of structural elements between the halves of the cylinder such that the ends of structural elements extend beyond the diameter of the cylinder, and wherein the radius of the cylinder is sufficiently large such that wrapping the structural elements about the circumference of the cylinder does not induce a bend radius on the structural elements that exceeds a minimum bend radius that would result in the plastic deformation of one or more of the structural elements.
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38. A method of packaging and deploying a satellite module of a space-based power station comprising:
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providing a plurality of unconnected compactible satellite modules disposed in space in an orbital array formation, wherein each of the compactible satellite modules comprises; a plurality of structural elements wherein adjacent structural elements fold together along a fold axis and slip a predetermined distance relative to each other along the fold axis, and wherein at least the edges of the structural elements transverse to the fold axis are continuously interconnected such that the dimensional extent of the satellite modules in at least one axis is compactible; folding the plurality of structural elements together along an axis transverse to the fold axis such that the plurality of structural elements are compacted into a stack having a longitudinal axis and longitudinal ends transverse to the folding axis; symmetrically rotating the two halves of the stack of the plurality of structural elements at the midpoint of the longitudinal length of the stack; and wrapping the symmetrically rotate halves of the stack of the plurality of structural elements into a cylinder wherein the radius of wrapping does not exceed a minimum radius at which the structural elements would plastically deform.
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Specification