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Transmission of electricity from space to Earth

21.05.2020

The Atlas V launch vehicle launched the X-37B military automatic mini-shuttle into Earth's orbit. This is the sixth successful flight of the "space plane", as this reusable vehicle is also called. Most of the tasks of the X-37B mission are solved by military programs and are classified, but not all. This time, the mini-shuttle launched a prototype photovoltaic module into orbit to transfer solar energy to the earth in the form of microwave radiation.

The energy transfer experiment was reported by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in whose depths the PRAM (Photovoltaic Radio-frequency Antenna Module) experimental module was developed. An experimental photovoltaic module with a radio frequency antenna is a block with sides of 30 cm. The block is equipped with conventional photovoltaic converters (solar cells) that convert the sunlight falling on them into electrical energy.

The energy received by the module in orbit is converted into microwave radiation and will be transmitted to a receiver located on the ground. The receiver, which is also a generator, converts microwave radiation into electricity and gives it to consumers. In space, the energy obtained in this way can be transmitted by a laser beam, for example, using a powerful infrared laser, but only microwave radiation can pass through the earth's atmosphere without significant absorption.

The experiment planned by the NRL laboratory is designed to study the process of energy conversion, the thermal characteristics of the processes and the efficiency of the technology in real conditions on a prototype. Similar methods of transferring power from an orbit where the sun shines 24 hours a day and at the same optimal angle to the solar panel can help provide electricity to remote corners of the planet, such as military bases or disaster zones.

Based on the results of PRAM, the next step will be to create a fully functional prototype system with installation on the satellite. Also at the next stage, a channel will be created to send energy to Earth. There is no doubt that turning such technology into a large-scale commercial power source could take decades and be extremely expensive for a long time, but for a number of tasks, the rapid deployment of propulsion systems on Earth with unlimited energy can be commensurate with the costs.

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Eight varieties of mushrooms from the contaminated zone have already been sent to the ISS. After conducting the necessary tests aboard the space station, the mushrooms will be returned to Earth to incorporate their components into a protective cream intended for future colonists on the Red Planet.

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