Retrodirective Very Large Aperture Phased Array Beam Steering Demonstration
- Paper number
IAC-05-C3.3.06
- Author
Mr. Samuel Kokel, Kobe University, Japan
- Year
2005
- Abstract
One important and unresolved issue facing microwave wireless power transmission is the ability to steer the transmitting aperture exactly at the power receiving target. This precise steering is especially difficult in systems that require dynamic beam steering. The retrodirective technique has been recognized as one of the most viable ways to achieve such real-time and precise steering. In the case of some space applications such as the solar power satellite, very large transmitting apertures with dimensions on the order of hundreds of meters may be necessary. Such large apertures will likely contain inherent and unpredictable geometric uncertainties due to phenomena such as structural vibrations and thermal cycling. Space-terrestrial link inpredictabilities include atmospheric disturbances and ionosphereic Faraday rotation. To the authors’ knowledge no testing of such large retrodirective array structures has yet been attempted. A retrodirective beam steering demonstration exploring vary large aperture retrodirective steering feasibility is proposed by the authors. The demonstration will be completed in multiple stages. Phase one will study the multi-path effects of the pilot signal at the test site. Phase one is scheduled to be completed in August 2005. The demonstration will conclude with the construction and testing of a very large aperture microwave phased array retrodirective antenna. Finally, geometric uncertainties will be introduced across the aperture and the retrodirective performance will be analyzed. The details of the beam steering experiment and phase one results will be presented along with a demonstration overview.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-C3.3.06.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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