Energy Transformation Of Solar Panels On A Space Satellite

Space based solar power attracted considerable attention in the 1970s as the necessary individual technical components in essence photovoltaic cells satellite technology and wireless power.

Energy transformation of solar panels on a space satellite.

Depiction of a possible space solar power system. Satellites are usually fitted with a re chargeable battery and solar panels. How much energy does a solar panel produce. A space based solar power station would capture the sun s energy that never makes it to the planet and use laser beams to send the energy back to earth to meet energy demand needs.

In a silicon solar cell light energy a photon of energy 1 1ev is absorbed in silicon and the energy absorbed excites an electron hole pair so charge particles are formed. These panels convert solar power into either a microwave or a laser and beam uninterrupted power down to earth. 5 hours x 290 watts an example wattage of a premium solar panel 1 450 watts hours or roughly 1 5 kilowatt hours kwh. Batteries are used to store the energy so that the satellite can continue to work when the sun is eclipsed or far away for example during a mission to visit a comet or a distant planet.

The solar arrays attached to a typical satellite generating 1 6gw in space and an average of 1gw on earth would measure about 5 to 6 square kilometers and use a transmitting antenna array with a diameter of about 1 km. Thus the output for each solar panel in your array would. The collecting satellite would convert solar energy into electrical energy on board powering a microwave transmitter or laser emitter and transmit this energy to a collector or microwave rectenna on earth s surface. To make this possible a satellite has to produce its own power generating electricity from sunlight falling on photovoltaic cells or solar panels.

For the sake of example if you are getting 5 hours of direct sunlight per day in a sunny state like california you can calculate your solar panel output this way. Sspidr would use solar power panels. Reflectors or inflatable mirrors spread over a vast swath of space directing solar radiation onto solar panels. Image courtesy of the national space society blog.

Self assembling satellites are launched into space along with reflectors and a microwave or laser power transmitter.