Station-Keeping of a High Altitude Balloon with Electric Propulsion and Wireless Power Transmission: A Concept Study

Paper number

IAC-15,C3,2,3,x29344

Author

Mr. Erinn van Wynsberghe, University of Michigan, United States

Coauthor

Dr. J.P. Sheehan, University of Michigan, United States

Year

2015

Abstract

\begin{document}
The feasibility of maintaining stable geographic position of a high-altitude balloon is investigated. High-altitude winds are overcome by electric propulsion to maintain position or to guide the craft to a desired location. The craft rises to the atmospheric height limit for balloons (about 40 km) where air is sufficiently thin to enable operation of electric thrusters. Instead of a large compliment of batteries, electric power to operate the thrusters is provided by a ground-based microwave transmitter (magnetron, klystron, etc.) which sends energy wirelessly at either 2.45 or 5.8 GHz to a thin rectifying antenna (rectenna) on the bottom of the craft. Energy requirements, safety, and mission architecture for a prototype system are presented, as developed from numerous studies and demonstrator models.
\end{document}

Abstract document

IAC-15,C3,2,3,x29344.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-15,C3,2,3,x29344.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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