SOLAR POWER SATELLITES

WHAT IS SATELLITE?

 A satellite is anything that revolves around

something ex:- moon orbits the earth…so moon
is a satellite of earth….
 In communication context, it is a specialized
wireless receiver/transmitter that can receive
or transmit signals……as per the requirement
TYPES OF SATELLITES

 Astronomical satellites
 Communication satellites
 Earth observation satellites
 Weather satellites
 Solar power satellite
WHAT IS SPS?

 A solar power satellite or SPS is a proposed satellite built in

high earth orbit that uses microwave power transmission to
beam solar power to very large antenna on earth where it can
be used in place of conventional power sources

 The advantage to placing the solar collectors in space is the

unobstructed view of the sun, unaffected by the day/night
cycle, weather or seasons.
HISTORY OF SPS

 Start in late 1968

 Started by Peter Glaser a German scientist in1975
on a high note
 Later joined by various aerospace companies in
1980
 Recently increase in demand of energy speed up
the SPS work
NEED OF SOLAR POWER SATELLITE

 Growing energy needs

 Sustainable source of energy

 Environmental impact from terrestrial energy

sources
 Total cost of energy production
GROWING DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL DEMAND
 COMPARISON OF POWER SOURCES
Power Cost Cost/W Pros Cons
generatio s att
n
Nuclear State of 3-5 $61.32 Extensive scientific Nuclear proliferation
Power the art billio data is available
facilities n for Technology has Larger capital costs
can the been established because of emergency,
generate facilit and used for containment, radioactive
up to 366 y decades in the and storage systems
Gigawatts other developed
nations Security and risks of
No greenhouse containment breaches
effects

Fossil Fuels Dependen Curre $53.42 Inexpensive and Extensive transportation

t upon ntly oil established systems to bring them to
is at
usage. $100
nations
and Currently Abundant Subject to political and
expect and highly Versatile economic instability
ed to Limited Supply will
rise resulting increasing costs
 Power Costs Cost/Watt Pros Cons
Generation
Solar Power 19-56 watts at a rate <$1.00 Free as long as Requirement of
per square of (employing sunlight is special materials ….
meter. Max <$1.00, new available Current technology
power depende technologie requires large
generation nt upon s) amounts of land for
limited only the size small amounts of
by size of the energy generation
station

Solar 230 watts 70-80 <$1.00 Can produce Extremely expensive

Powered per square billion (employing electricity 24
Satellites meter up to includin new hours a day, 7
8.75 g launch technologie days a week.
terawatts costs s) Satellite can
be moved to
transmit power
to different
areas globally
OIL PRICES
DESCRIPTION OF SPS

The SPS essentially consists of three parts:-

1. A huge solar collector , typically made up of solar

cells
2. A microwave antenna on the satellite, aimed at earth
3. An antenna occupying a large area on earth to collect
the power
HOW IT WORKS ?
IMAGES

Power is beamed to a receiving

An early solar power satellite
station on earth and then distributed
design
to customers
THUNDERSTORM SPS - TSPS
SOLAR SATELLITE

 Introduction
 Numerical simulation
prediction of “hook
echo “area by using
WRS-88D Doppler
weather radar
MICROWAVE
BEAM

COLD RAINY
DOWNDRAFT
HOW WILL SPS AFFECT GLOBAL WARMING?

 It decreases global
warming
 It decreases the
probability of acid rain
 Helps in saving
endangered species
ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER SATELLITES

1. REDUCTION IN THE "GREENHOUSE EFFECT“

2. "CLEAN" ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION
3. UNLIMITED AVAILABILITY OF CLEAN ELECTRIC POWER WORLDWIDE WILL
BENEFIT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, SAVE THE RAIN FORESTS, AND
ELIMINATE ACID RAIN
4. THE RECTENNAS RECEIVING THE MICROWAVE ENERGY ALLOW 80% OF
THE SUNLIGHT TO PASS BY. BY MOUNTING THESE RECTENNAS ON
FLOATING ISLANDS IN THE OCEAN, SIPHONING OFF SOME OF THE
RECEIVED MICROWAVE ENERGY FOR USE IN DESALINIZATION OF
SEAWATER, FOOD CAN BE GROWN IN ABUNDANCE TO FEED THE WORLD
5. MAKING WARS AND CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE PARTICIPANTS UNLIKELY
CONTINUE…..

 Used to stop mass fires

 Used to tackle with drought

 Faster production of crop by 3 to 4 times

 Used to raise temperature in cold countries in

winter
VULNERABILITY AND DEFENSIBILITY

 Would SPS be attacked?

 How could SPS be attacked?

 Could SPS be defended?

 Who would attack?

WOULD SPS BE ATTACKED?

Some factors:-
 What kind of purpose it is serving?

 The SPS is owned by whom?

 whether it is expensive enough or prestigious

WHO WOULD ATTACK?

 Attack by technically sophisticated nations like

USA and USSR
 By small states also sometimes

 By terrorists
HOW COULD SPS BE ATTACKED?

 Orbital debris
 Disruption or diversion

 Missile attack

 Nuclear attack
COULD SPS BE DEFENDED?

There are three ways of defense of SPS:-

 Evasion

 Hardening against explosions

 Anti missile weaponry

FUTURE OF SPS

 Decade One
 Decade Two

 Decade Three

 Performance of Future SPS Technology

DECADE 1,2,3--- PROPOSED SPS TIMELINE
PERFORMANCE OF FUTURE SPS
TECHNOLOGY
NO. OF LAUNCHES FOR 1 GW SPS
NO. OF LAUNCHES FOR 5 GW SPS
FOREIGN INTEREST

 Europe
 Soviet Union

 Japan