Wireless Power Transmission Technology Applications
- Paper number
IAC-05-C3.2.09
- Author
Mr. Frank Steinsiek, EADS Astrium, Germany
- Year
2005
- Abstract
For the enhancement of future ISS operational capabilities, but also of planetary exploration mission flexibility and scientific gain, the use of Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) technology provides the potential of operational benefits, by increase of space systems efficiency, like co-orbiting platforms, transfer vehicles or other ISS related in-orbit spacecrafts and planetary or lunar exploration systems. The laser technology promises specific technical, operational and economic benefits compared to microwave applications and is the actual basis for the envisioned wireless power transmission concepts. Typical mission cases in Earth orbits are for payload technology ISS attached equipment or modules and instruments, for orbital infrastructure operation orbital transfer vehicles and LEO micro-g platforms, and combined power and data links and networks. The related system concepts in terms of technical, operational and economic requirements and boundary conditions are being investigated and envisioned breadboard tests for laser power transmission, control and power re-conversion conceived at EADS-ST. In the frame of future planetary exploration programmes, especially to Moon and Mars but also to bodies like moon Europa, the capability to enhance the exploration mission flexibility in terms of mission scientific objectives and gain of results, reachable target sites, and the continuous provision of resources, as electrical power and data to the exploration vehicles is most important. Under certain circumstances mission and environment conditions could be very challenging, as for certain lunar crater excursions in the pole areas exploring ice sources. The search for ice sources is enabling for a human exploration lateron. In this environment direct sunlight into a crater would be not available for solar arrays to feed the rover onboard systems. Furthermore, the involvement of more than one rover system would be interesting in sense of mission flexibility, and additional gain of scientific results. In such a small swarm of two rovers, one system could serve as a power transmission relay station or by-pass, for the case of obstacles in the direct line-of-sight for the power beaming laser. This concept could be seen as a first step towards the later application of a swarm of surface exploration vehicles, consisting of two or more similar vehicles with autonomous and expert-based sample in-situ assessment. The basic capabilities are the wireless power support of the rovers, and also to by-pass obstacles, to provide intelligent on-board navigation in an unknown landscape, to provide navigation functions amongst the rover systems, and to provide communication between all elements of such a network. The system functions and technologies for an autonomous wireless power transmission chain between a laser source and a target, a rover, have been demonstrated successfully recently, the evidence of such a distant power supply for dedicated applications became obvious The existing breadboard hardware of the previous experimental set-up will be used and enhanced by integration of additional elements in the power transmission chain. The paper describes Wireless Power Transmission augmented space systems performance and mission applications, their technical feasibility and the logic and approach for a step-wise demonstration campaign for Wireless Power Transmission augmented exploration systems.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-C3.2.09.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.