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The Abacus/Reflector and Integrated Symmetrical Concentrator: Concepts for Space Solar Power Collection and TransmissionNew energy sources are vital for the development of emerging nations, and the growth of industry in developed economies. Also vital is the need for these energy sources to be clean and renewable. For the past several years, NASA has been taking a new look at collecting solar energy in space and transmitting it to Earth, to planetary surfaces, and to orbiting spacecraft. Several innovative concepts are being studied for the space segment component of solar power beaming. One is the Abacus/Reflector, a large sun-oriented array structure fixed to the transmitter, and a rotating RF reflector that tracks a receiving rectenna on Earth. This concept eliminates the need for power-conducting slip rings in rotating joints between the solar collectors and the transmitter. Another concept is the Integrated Symmetrical Concentrator (ISC), composed of two very large segmented reflectors which rotate to collect and reflect the incident sunlight onto two centrally-located photovoltaic arrays. Adjacent to the PV arrays is the RF transmitter, which as a unit track the receiving rectenna, again eliminating power-conducting joints, and in addition reducing the cable lengths between the arrays and transmitter. The metering structure to maintain the position of the reflectors is a long mast, oriented perpendicular to the equatorial orbit plane. This paper presents a status of ongoing systems studies and configurations for the Abacus/Reflector and the ISC concepts, and a top-level study of packaging for launch and assembly.
Document ID
20000074108
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Carrington, Connie
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Fikes, John
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Gerry, Mark
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Perkinson, Don
(Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Huntsville, AL United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2000
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Meeting Information
Meeting: 35th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Country: United States
Start Date: July 23, 2000
End Date: July 27, 2000
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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