Space-Based Solar Power

An Opportunity for Strategic Security

 Outline

• Trends of Concern
• Space-Based Solar Power
– DoD, National, and International Impact
• The Role of U.S. Government Leadership

2
 The Energy Challenge
Our Generation’s Challenge

When asked shortly

after WWII: His prompt reply:

“Prof Einstein,
what do you see “Exponential
as the greatest growth.”
threat to
mankind?”

3
 The Energy Challenge
Trends of Concern
Population Energy

Western Europe Middle East

Eastern Europe 5% 3%
7%
Our Hemisphere
13%
(US = 4%) • Energy growth tracks w/ population & economic growth
Africa
13%
Asia • Liquid fossil fuels may peak before alternatives come on
56%
line causing inability for supply to match demand,
shortages & economic shock, instability / state failure,
• By 2025, the world will have added 2 billion more people, and great power competition
56% of the global population will be in Asia, and 66%
• Three energy concerns: 1) mobility fuels, 2) base-load
will live in urban areas along the coasts
electricity, 3) peak-use electricity

Climate Change American Competitiveness

• Increased CO2 production may alter the Earth’s

• The U.S. is losing global market share & leadership
climate, possibly causing:
– Rising ocean levels and loss of coastal areas
• R&D investments & skilled workforce are declining
– "a major workforce crisis in the aerospace industry…a
– More intense tropical storms & humanitarian ops
threat to national security and the U.S. ability to
– Agricultural climate change—causing migration, and continue as a world leader.”
shifts in power, ethnic & land based conflict

4
 The Energy Challenge
Future Energy Options Must Be…
• Following wood, coal, and oil, the 4th energy must be*:
– Non-depletable - to prevent resource conflicts
– Environmentally clean – to permit a sustainable future
– [Continuously] Available – to provide base-load security for everyone
– In a usable form – to permit efficient consumption & minimal infrastructure
– Low cost - to permit constructive opportunity for all populations
• A portfolio of substantial investments are needed, but options in the
next 20-30 years are limited…
Source Clean Safe Reliable Base-load
Fossil Fuel No Yes Decades remaining Yes
Nuclear No Yes Fuel Limited Yes
Wind Power Yes Yes Intermittent No
Ground Solar Yes Yes Intermittent No
Hydro Yes Yes Drought; Complex Scheduling
Bio-fuels Yes Yes Limited Qty – Competes w/Food
Space Solar Yes Yes Yes Yes

* Adapted from Dr. Ralph Nansen’s book, “Sun Power” 5

 The Energy Challenge
But What If National Leaders Had A Solution…
• That Directly Addresses Global Energy Security Concerns?
• Can Deliver Power to World’s Energy Rich and Poor Alike
• Provides A Truly Sustainable & Clean Energy Path Thru 21st Century
• While Enhancing U.S. Competitiveness and Export Opportunities?
• Today’s U.S. Technical Leadership Can Become Economic Boom
(Space Carrying Trade, Energy Export, Material Science, Robotics,…)
• With Pre-existing U.S. Public Support?
• 2002 American Space Use Poll - #1: Space Energy #2: Planetary Defense
• That Propels A Respected U.S. International Leadership Image?
• Demonstrating a Global Solution to a Global Problem
• And Responds to the Interests of Both Political Parties?
• Benefiting Conservative Business Interests
• Benefiting Liberal Social & Environmental Interests
 Capabilities and Challenges
What is Space Solar Power?

• Solar Energy is captured in space

by large photovoltaic arrays and
transmitted via a coherent
microwave or laser beam to an Earth
receiver where it is converted into
either base-load electric power,
low-intensity charging power, or
synthetic fuels
• Sunlight captured in space is many
times more effective in providing Space Solar
continuous base load power Solar Intensity
compared to a solar array on the Earth 1,366 W/m2 No Night Min Weather

• SBSP has been studied since 1970’s

by DOE, NASA, ESA, and JAXA, but
has generally “fallen through the Ground Solar
cracks” because no organization is Solar Intensity Night Loss Weather Loss
responsible for both Space 1,000 W/m2
Programs and Energy Security

7
 DoD, National, and International Impact
Invest, Survive, Flourish and Grow – A Future History

Sustainable Civilization
Stable Population
Stable Climate
Demographic
Reduce Conflict Transition
Reduce GHG
Less Poverty Stellar Probe
Nations develop
Travel
Industrialization Growth in GDP Export Markets
Telecom Hurricane
Tourism Clean Energy Diversion

Asteroid
OMV Directed Energy Defense

Tether SBSP Beamed

Propulsion

Reusable “Dredge Harbor”

ISRU
Launch Vehicle
Wireless Power
Transmission Space Radar
Energy Traffic Control
Infrastructure

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 DoD, National, and International Impact
SBSP Economic Opportunities
• Energy Sales
– U.S. Energy Companies & Utilities as Global Market Suppliers of Clean Energy
• Space Access
– Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) for Rapid/Low-Cost Space Access (<$500/kg)
– Space Tourism / Travel
– Lunar resource extraction/utilization following NASA exploration
• Orbital Infrastructure
– In-space Transport and Maintenance
– Space Manufacturing Systems
– Robotic Systems
• Power Generation
– High-efficiency/High-volume Space & Terrestrial Solar Collection Systems
– Space & Terrestrial Power Distribution Technology
• Wireless Power Beaming
– Terrestrial Remote Power Transmission (Low-Cost Modern Infrastructure)
– Continuous Electronics Re-Charge (Expanded Wireless Capabilities)
– Enhanced Telecommunications Capabilities (Industrial & Personal)
– Enhanced/Persistent Earth Monitoring (Radar Systems)
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 DoD, National, and International Impact
SBSP National Security Benefits

• Space Access and Maneuver

– RLV Development for Operationally Responsive Space
– Increased technical readiness for Space Tethers
• Surveillance
– High Power and Large Aperture development for Space Radar
• Space Structures
– Higher efficiency and Lighter Weight Solar Cells
– Increased technical readiness for Membrane & Solar Dynamic Structures
• Industrial and Science & Technology Capabilities
– Preservation of a Robust Aerospace Industry
– Science and Engineering Educational emphasis
– Advanced Robotics and Unmanned Systems
• Operational Maneuver on Earth
– Increased technical readiness for Direct Beaming of Transmitted Power
– Electricity-to-Fuel Conversion competence

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 DoD, National, and International Impact
DoD SBSP Energy Applications

• 24/7 Off-Grid Garrison Base Power

– 5 - 15 MW/day rectenna
• 24/7 Deployed Base Power & Fuel
– 5-8 MW continuous requirement
– JP-8 via Sabatier & refining processes
– Floating rectenna = sea base capability
• Humanitarian/Nation Building Power
– Defendable electrical power supply
– Energy w/low infrastructure cost/time
• Mobile Platform/Soldier Power
– Direct beaming to air or seaborne platforms
– Low-power beaming for soldier recharge Courtesy of Northrop Grumman

– Enables permanent surveillance/ops

• Space Applications
– Satellite power/maneuver
– Space-based radar
– Debris de-orbit
Courtesy of Raytheon

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 Capabilities and Challenges
If this has been looked at before, what’s changed?
Technology!
• 40% Efficient Solar Cells!
• Materials / Nanotechnology
• Radar & Laser Technology
• Robotics / In-Space
Construction & Servicing
• Deployable / Gossamer
Structures
• Thermal Protection
• Tethers
NRC-Validated
NASA Fresh-Look &
SERT Studies

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 Capabilities and Challenges
If this has been looked at before, what’s changed?

13
 Capabilities and Challenges
Security & the Space Solar Power Option

• Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) is an attractive long-

term technology option that involves a compelling
synergy between Energy Security, Space
Security, and National Security
• Japan, China, India & EU already see the potential
• The most significant technical challenges are the
development of
– Low-cost re-usable space access
– Demonstration of space-to-Earth power beaming
– Efficient and light space-qualified solar arrays
– Space Assembly, Maintenance and Servicing, and
– Large in-space structures
• These are in areas that already interest the DoD
and others – and with modest departures to
current R&D efforts could retire many of the
technical barriers to Space-Based Solar Power

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 DoD, National, and International Impact
Proposed Vision & Objectives of Space Solar Power

Assured Energy Security

for the U.S. and Its Allies
through Affordable & Abundant
Space Solar Power
with First Power within 25 years

- VISION -
The United States and Partners
enable – within the next 20 years –
the development and deployment of
affordable Space Solar Power
systems that assure the long-term,
sustainable energy security of the
Assured U.S. and all mankind Innovation that
U.S. Preeminence Creates Novel Technologies
in Space Access and and Systems Enabling New,
Operations through Highly Profitable
Dramatic Advances in Industries on Earth
Transformational Space and in Space
Capabilities

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 The Role of U.S. Government Leadership
A Potential Action Plan
• Space-Based Solar Power…
– Should be re-evaluated for technical feasibility and deliverability in a
strategically relevant period (other nations have stated goals & started R&D)
– May offer significant & unique energy security benefits in an international
context
– Requires only a relatively modest additional investment to address key
barriers
– Represents a small departure from existing U.S. (DOD, DOE, NASA)
programs…but involves tremendous synergies with other national goals
• The U.S. may want to consider a major SBSP program
– U.S. Government can play a significant role because its responsibilities and
programs “straddle” energy, security, and space
• Next Steps (Action Items/Options):
– (A) NSSO initial situation-assessment architecture study through Sep 2007
– (O) Sponsor a fast-paced directed ‘quick-look’ study (3-4 months; $500K)
– (O) If the results are positive, a larger scale, ‘seedling-type’ study should be
undertaken to add legitimacy (12 months: $2M)
– (O) Results would inform a range of decisions by NLT 2009
– (O) Form a national SBSP organization w/concept demos in 5-7 years

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 The Role of U.S. Government Leadership
Development Steps for Consideration
• “Quick Look” Study [4-months, $500K]
– “State-of-the-art” review using existing NASA modeling tools
• “Seedling” Study [12-months; $2M]
– Technical, financial, environmental, organizational risk-retirement roadmaps
– Identify legitimate SBSP development partner groups
– Build a credible business case
• Private/Public SBSP Corporation
– Congressionally approved entity using successful Commsat model
• Concept Demonstrations [5-7 years]
– Should include international & entrepreneurial partnership where able
– DARPA-led w/NASA, DOE, NSF & DoD collaboration
• Ground-to-ground high-power microwave or laser transmission
• Ground-to-aerostat-to-ground microwave or laser retransmission
• LEO- and GEO-to-Earth power transmission
• Space-to-space power transmission
• Orbital maneuver & space infrastructure technologies
• Low-cost space access technology development and flight demonstrations

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 The Role of U.S. Government Leadership
Joining Government, Commercial, & Int’l SBSP Interests

DOE DoD NASA - VISION -

Solar Cells WPT RLV Space The United States and Partners
Structures enable – within the next 20
Terrestrial
Tethers years – the development and
Distribution
DARPA O&M deployment of affordable Space
Solar Power systems that assure
Nat’l Labs; Academia
the long-term, sustainable
energy security of the U.S. and
Robotics, Materials, Computational Intelligence, all mankind
Lasers, Chips, WPT…

NSF
Private Investment
Energy, Aerospace, Telecom, Venture…

International “Intelsat-Type”
Corporation
Energy & Launch Services

”We Do These Things Not Because They Are Easy,

but Because they Are Hard…”
- President John F. Kennedy

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 Conclusion
Space-Based Solar Power – A Strategic Opportunity for America

Energy Security Environmental Security

SPACE-
BASED
SOLAR
POWER

Economic Competitiveness National Needs

Bring feasibility to the attention of nat’l leadership - highlight USG’s enabling role

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Back-Up Slides
 The Potential of Space Solar Power
Broad Public Support

2002
200
Space Goal • Over the years, a number of goals have been
5 proposed for the U.S. space program including
Build satellites in Earth orbit to missions to Mars (Zubrin 1996), space
32% 35% collect solar energy to beam to colonization (O'Neill 1976), a return to the
utilities on Earth moon (Spudis 1996), and space tourism
Develop the technology to deflect (David 2004). The purpose of this
23% 17% asteroids or comets that might exploratory study was to measure the level
destroy the Earth
of public interest in different space goals.
4% 10% Send humans to Mars

2% 7% Search for life on other planets • Two goals stood out far beyond all others.
The first of these goals was developing the
6% 7% Build a human colony in space capability of using Space-Based Solar Power
Build a base on the moon for (SBSP) or space energy to meet the nation's
5% 4% humans to use for exploration of the energy needs. In 2002 32 percent, nearly 1/3
moon of the respondents, supported this goal. In
Develop a passenger rocket to send 2005, 35 percent, again nearly 1/3 of
3% 6%
tourists into space respondents, supported the development of
None of the above, we should stop SBSP. The second goal that appeared to
11% 2%
spending money on space receive broad support was developing the
13% 10% No Opinion technology to deflect asteroids or comets
that might threaten the Earth with impact
1% 2% None of the above (planetary defense).
2002 Survey - National Space Goals
Matula & Loveland, 2006

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 SBSP is most like Hydroelectric

• High Capital Costs • High Capital Costs

• Long Payback • Long Payback
• No Fossil Fuel Feed • No Fossil Fuel Feed
• Renewable • Renewable
• 2.07 GW (peak) • 2.5 GW (sustained)
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 How big is the SBSP resource?

363 TW-yrs
Total area of a cylinder of 1km width and
perimeter at GEO (w*2*pi*r). In reality, you
Remaining Oil Reserve would not build a ring, and individual
powersats could be turned normal to the
of 1.285 TBBL Sun. However a ring establishes the max
= 249.4 TW-yrs upper limit of energy and is a good
approximation. For a ring, max limit of
More and more of this oil will have to be actual radiation available in a 1km band
used to recover remaining reserves must be reduced by self-shielding (pi/2),
and perhaps worst inclination degrees
(cosine of 23 degrees = .92)
~250 TW-yrs

~212TW-yrs

Annual World
All Recoverable Oil Annual energy Available
Energy Demand
in just 1 km of GEO
(All Forms)

50 TW (2050)
30 TW (2025) Annual Energy-to-Grid On-Earth 21 TW
15 TW (2007) Annual Oil Production ~8TW-yr assuming 10% Solar-to-Grid of 1 km
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 Drilling Up: How large is the GEO solar resource?

1km

1 year x 1 km wide band

≈ 212 TW-years
All Remaining Oil Resource
≈ 250 TW-years

Every Kilometer-wide band at GEO receives nearly as much energy per

annum as the content of the entire remaining oil 1.28 T BBls of oil
remaining
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 How many 5GW SPS would it take to displace generating capacity?

• Nigeria 1 • India 23
• North Korea 1.5 • Japan 52
• Burma 1.5 • China 68
• U.S.A. Annual Growth 1-2 • U.S.A. Base-Load 69
• Venezuela 4
• OECD Europe 150
• Thailand 5
• U.S.A. Total Capacity 200
• Mexico 10
• World Today 742
• South Korea 10
– Electric Gen only
• Africa 20
• World 2100 10,000
– All Energy for projected
population at Developed
Lifestyle (50TW)
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 The Limits of SBPS

5 GW

• Assuming Each SPS delivers 5GW:

• It would require up to 4 SPS to built per year to meet current annual
growth in US Electrical Demand (2% of 1 TW, or 20 GW)
• It would require 200 SPS to replace current US Generating Capacity
of 1 TW (70% Fossil Fuels, 50% Coal)
• It would require 742 SPS to meet today’s World Electrical Demand of
3.7TW, spaced one every 357 km
• It would require 10 to replace current generating capacity of Mexico or
South Korea;1 for Nigeria, 4 for venezuela, 5 Thailand, 20 doubles all africa,
• It would require 10,000 SPS to meet the Total Energy Demand of the
World in 2100, estimated to be 50TW (50,000GW, or 5KWe for
each of 10 billion people)

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 A New Approach
Space Power Feasibility Evolution

Japan METI / JASDA Study

Study
ESA
DC-X X-33

RLV TAV

NASA/NSF
JIETSBSP
NASA
NASA / DOE Fresh NASA
studies Look SERT

Peter Reference Design NRC NRC Report

Glaser
Proposes

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 Does this look like an energy project to you?

=
• $.7 – 1.2B first unit cost • $1 - 5B
($6-10B Development)

It should. Think of an RLV as an energy mining platform.

The way to energy security is through space.
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