Feasibility Study of Laser Technology in the Space to Space Demonstration_____ As part of an early demonstration program it was opted to work out a concept using laser technology in space to space power beaming. The work presented is a summary of the work performed by a small task group. 1 Mission objectives The mission objectives can be summarized as follows: (1) Space to space power beaming (2) Laser beaming to solar arrays of a receiving satellite (3) Demonstrate a commercial potential or benefit (4) Should be launched within 5 years (5) Total cost $ 80 M 2 Assumptions 3 Requirements The laser has to emit in the visible light spectrum in order to be compatible with the existing solar arrays of the target satellite. This requires a beam with a wavelength of about 580 nm [S. Bailey lecture for Space Solar Power Project, Aug. 3,1992)] 4 Mission Assessment The concept presented serves as a dimensioning example/tool in order to obtain some representative data on a possible mission. Assumptions Justification 1. Use an existing receiver satellite, thus only one satellite (transmitter) has to be built/launched 2. Launch a satellite into GSO to deliver power to a graveyard satellite 3. Target satellite should be a spinner 4. Received beam should be 10% of target satellite's power - due to cost constraints - distance between XMTR and RCVR must be within 500 km (TBC) - low relative drift velocity - graveyard satellites have functioning electrical systems - no interference with an existing, operational GSO satellite - for conditions of pointing, attitude control and solar array illumination - spinning satellites tend to have a lower power demand, therefore the impact of beaming power is larger - power beaming should lead to a measurable amount of power on the satellite
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