Large-area structures for compact packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10696428-B2
Application number	US-201615216596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom, and/or compactible structures and deployment mechanisms used to form and deploy such satellite modules and power generation tiles associated therewith are provided. Each satellite module and/or power generation tile may be formed of a compactable structure and deployment mechanism capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station and reliably deploy it once in orbit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A space-based solar power station comprising:
a plurality of unconnected compactible satellite modules disposed in space in an orbital array formation, wherein each of the compactible satellite modules comprises:
a plurality of moveably interconnected structural elements such that the dimensional extent of the satellite modules in at least one axis is compactible;
a plurality of power generation tiles disposed on each of the plurality of moveably interconnected structural elements such that the plurality of power generation tiles are disposed between the structural elements thereby forming a plurality of strips disposed parallel to each other, each of the power generation tiles having at least one photovoltaic cell and at least one power transmitter collocated thereon, the at least one photovoltaic cell and power transmitter in signal communication such that an electrical current generated by the collection of solar radiation by the at least one photovoltaic cell powers the at least one power transmitter, and where each of the at least one power transmitters comprises:
an antenna, and
control electronics that controls the phase of a radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna so that the power transmitter is coordinated with power transmitters on other power generation tiles to form a phased array; and

wherein an external perimeter of each of the modules is formed from the plurality of parallel strips and has straight edges such that the module defines a straight-edged geometric shape.

2. The space-based solar power station of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structural elements have a finite thickness and are foldable relative to each other by slip-folding.

3. The space-based solar power station of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of structural elements fold relative to each other via alternating mountain and valley folds.

4. The space-based solar power station of claim 3 , wherein the fold between the innermost structural elements is a mountain fold.

5. The space-based power station of claim 2 , wherein the folded movably interrelated elements are further compacted by wrapping.

6. The space-based solar power station of claim 1 , wherein adjacent structural elements fold together along a fold axis and slip a predetermined distance relative to each other along the fold axis, and wherein at least the edges of the structural elements transverse to the fold axis are continuously interconnected.

7. The space-based solar power station of claim 6 , wherein material voids are formed along at least portions of the fold axis between the adjacent structural elements.

8. The space-based solar power station of claim 7 , further comprising one or more interconnections that bridge the material voids.

9. The space-based solar power station of claim 7 , wherein the interconnections comprise one or both ligament folds or hinges.

10. The space-based solar power station of claim 7 , wherein the interconnections are one or more hinges selected from the group consisting of latchable, frictionless, and slippage.

11. The space-based solar power station of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of moveably interconnected structural elements are configured to fold along the plurality of fold axes into a stack of a plurality of structural elements compacted along an axis transverse to the fold axis.

12. The space-based solar power station of claim 11 , wherein the stack of a plurality of moveably interconnected structural elements is wrappable into a curved structure having a bend radius at which permanent deformation of the plurality of moveably interconnected structural elements is prevented.

13. The space-based solar power station of claim 12 , wherein the bend radius does not exceed a minimum bend radius R min given by:

1

R

m
⁢

⁢
i
⁢

⁢
n

=

2
⁢

σ
y

Eh

where h is the thickness of the individual structural elements, E is the material modulus of the structural elements, and σ y yield stress of the structural elements.

14. The space-based solar power station of claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal ends of the stack of a plurality of structural elements undergo no slip during wrapping.

15. The space-based power station of claim 1 , wherein the structural elements are prestressed such that a tensional force is distributed thereacross, the tensional force being sufficient to resist spatial deformation of the plane of the satellite module.

16. The space-based power station of claim 15 , wherein the prestress tension is distributed across the structural elements by one or more stabilizing boom arms.

17. The space-based power station of claim 15 , wherein the prestress tension is distributed across the structural elements by one or more weighted elements being subject to a centrifugal force applied by the rotation of the satellite module.

18. The space-based power station of claim 15 , wherein adjacent structural elements are interconnected through slip-folds, and wherein the prestress tension is distributed anisotropically across the plurality of structural elements such that the tension applied along the slip-fold axis is much greater than the tension applied transverse to the slip-fold axis.

19. The space-based power station of claim 18 , wherein the edges of the structural elements transverse to the slip-fold axis are continuously interconnected, and wherein the prestress tension is distributed to the plurality of structural elements through the edges of the structural elements.

20. The space-based power station of claim 15 , wherein the structural elements comprise an outer supportive frame through which the prestress tension is applied, and wherein the power generation tiles are disposed within the outer supportive frame such that no prestress tension is distributed into the power generation tiles.

21. The space-based power station of claim 1 , further comprising a deployment mechanism engageable with the plurality of structural elements to apply a force thereto such that the elements are moved relative to each other on application of the force.

22. The space-based power station of claim 21 , wherein the deployment mechanism comprises one or more elongatable booms.

23. The space-based power station of claim 1 , wherein the structural elements are comprised of a pair of parallel disposed longerons having a plurality of power generation tiles disposed therebetween.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Pellegrino Sergio
• Atwater Harry A
• Hajimiri Seyed Ali
• Arya Manan
• Leclerc Christophe
• Lee Nicolas

Classifications

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• H02S10/40 Primary

  Mobile PV generator systems · CPC title

• B64G1/4282

  for transmitting power to earth or other spacecraft · CPC title

• B64G1/2225

  Rolling or unfurling (B64G1/2227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64G1/2224

  about multiple axes · CPC title