Space Based Solar Power Building Block Modular Tile

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) and Northrop Grumman’s Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR) Project used components for the “sandwich tile” to convert solar energy to RF (radio frequency).

The power will be beamed to a receiving station at the base on the ground, and the energy is collected by a rectifying antenna or “rectenna” that will rectify and convert the RF into usable power. The sandwich tiles are key to the process and the design eliminates the need for heavy power banks.

The tiles will be building blocks for square meter panel of tiles. Arachne is scheduled for a launch in 2025.

SOURCES- PV Magazine
Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com

2 thoughts on “Space Based Solar Power Building Block Modular Tile”

  1. "Within 2 years a hundred assemblers living onboard the first large Space Island station could build and test a full-sized power sat in low Earth orbit, then gently boost it into its final position the following year . . . orbital assembly could dramatically simplify solar sat design, since the final assembly wouldn’t have to withstand the tremendous vibration of traditional unmanned launchers." –http://spaceislandgroup.com/pdf/BusinessPlan.pdf

    I was in favor of storing the tanks all along, as I understood O'Neill already. I certainly agree with the orbital assembly part, but would like to see more than fuel derived from comets. At the time, ~2001, these guys should have suspected water on Moon, too. Lots of good ideas, no Delta Clipper!

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