On top of the service module is the Powersat transmitter module containing a group of 4 or 5 communication satellite TWTs and a feed horn cluster. Microwave energy at a nominal 12 GHz (although 30 Ghz could also be considered) is projected to a reflector adjacent to the transmitter. This reflector (designated Option 1) could be a simple solid design to provide a good performance. However, this would restrict the aperture size to about 0.5 m. although waivers may enable as much as 0.7 m, and limit the transmission distance to about 250 m at 60% efficiency. An alternative (Option 2) would involve use of a deployable (or inflatable) reflector able to provide up to a 3 meter aperture. (Figures 5.1-5 & -6) If that was possible, the transmission distance would jump to nearly 1.5 kilometres at 60% efficiency. Power and power conditioning for the demonstrator is located on the fifth ASAP position. This involves the use of a single lithium-based battery capable of delivering up to 1 kW of power continuously for 5-10 hours, or 2 kW peak. Using a primary cell eliminates the complexity of adding solar arrays and the recharging circuitry - functions which the demonstrator does not need to prove. On top of the battery is located a power conditioning and distribution system that provides low power for the service module functions and much higher power levels for the TWT operations. One of the advantages of the GTO orbit is that it allows measurements of the space plasma non-linear effects at a range of altitudes from 36,000 km to about 200 km. In particular, this information would be of importance to the future prospects of the space-to-ground Solar Power Satellite as it enables detailed characterisation of the interactions for a power beam that is transmitted from a notional SPS located in GEO.
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