Congress revives hopes for solar power satellites

Orbital Dynamics of Large Solar Power Satellites

Structural Control System Design for Space Solar Power Satellites

The major objective of this study is to develop an integrated orbit, attitude, and structural control system architecture for very large Space Solar Power Satellites (SSPS) in geosynchronous orbit. This study focuses on the 1.2-GW “Abacus” SSPS concept characterized by a 3.2 × 3.2 km solar-array platform, a 500-m diameter microwave beam transmitting antenna, and a 500 × 700 m earth-tracking ref...

Integrated Orbit, Attitude, and Structural Control Systems Design for Space Solar Power Satellites

The major objective of this study is to develop preliminary concepts for controlling orbit, attitude, and structural motions of very large Space Solar Power Satellites (SSPS) in geosynchronous orbit. This study focuses on the 1.2-GW “Abacus” SSPS configuration characterized by a square (3.2 × 3.2 km) solar array platform, a 500-m diameter microwave beam transmitting antenna, and an earth-tracki...

Reflectors for Solar Power

Manfred E. Clynes has since 1956 been chief research scientist at Rockland State, in charge of the Dynamic Simulation Lab. A graduate of the Univ. of Melbourne, Australia, and holder of an M.S. from Juilliard School, he has for the past 10 years been engaged in the design and development of physiological instrumentation and apparatus, ultrasonic transducers, and electronic data-processing systems.

A new Solar Radiation Pressure Model for the GPS Satellites

The largest error in currently used GPS orbit models is due to the effect of solar radiation pressure. Over the last few years many improvements were made in modeling the orbits of GPS satellites within the IGS. However, most improvements were achieved by increasing the number of estimated orbit and/or solar radiation pressure parameters. This increase in the number of estimated satellite param...