Post on 23-Oct-2014
SOLAR POWER SATELLITES
A PRESENTATION ON 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 generation
Costs
Cost/Watt
Pros Cons
Nuclear Power
State of the art facilities can generate up to 366 Gigawatts
3-5 billion for the facility
$61.32
Extensive scientific data is available Technology has been established and used for decades in the other developed nations No greenhouse effects
Nuclear proliferation
Larger capital costs because of emergency, containment, radioactive and storage systems
Security and risks of containment breaches
Fossil Fuels
Dependent upon usage.
Currently oil is at $100 and expected to rise
$53.42
Inexpensive and established
Currently Abundant and highly Versatile
Extensive transportation systems to bring them to nationsSubject to political and economic instabilityLimited Supply will resulting increasing costs
Power Generation
Costs Cost/Watt
Pros Cons
Solar Power
19-56 watts per square meter. Max power generation limited only by size
at a rate of <$1.00, dependent upon the size of the station
<$1.00 (employing new technologies)
Free as long as sunlight is available
Requirement of special materials ….Current technology requires large amounts of land for small amounts of energy generation
Solar Powered Satellites
230 watts per square meter up to 8.75 terawatts
70-80 billion including launch costs
<$1.00 (employing new technologies)
Can produce electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Satellite can be moved to transmit power to different areas globally
Extremely expensive
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 station on earth and then distributed to customers
An early solar power satellite design
THUNDERSTORM SPS - TSPS
Introduction Numerical
simulation prediction of
“hook echo “area by using WRS-88D Doppler weather radar
MICROWAVE BEAM
COLD RAINY DOWNDRAFT
SOLAR SATELLITE
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
THANK YOU