NASA/DoE Boeing 1979 Reference System Illustrated, 2013 not yet ready

1. 2013 Update to Space-Based Solar Powerby Mr. Hubert P. Davis, Mr. Richard Dickinson, Dr. Ted Talay, Mr. Gordon Woodcock, Members, SolarHigh Study Groupto the AIAA SOSTC Workshop at Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas May 1, 2013 NASA/DoE Boeing 1979 Reference System Illustrated, 2013 not yet ready Note: This presentation is a technical description of our teams’ 2013 results. Mr. Gordon Woodcock will later summarize our cost analysis methodology and its’ results.

2. Summary • The SolarHigh Study Group is a a small group of volunteers formed in mid-2011 for a single purpose: • Update the 1979, well-documented, study by the Boeing Company of Dr. Peter Glaser’s Space-Based-Solar-Power System Concept (SBSP) • To provide baseload electrical power to many Earth-based electrical power networks using sunlight as the energy source • This early work was done under contract to NASA-Johnson Space Center & DoE for ~ $10millions+

3. Findings of late 1979 were: • Baseload (Dispatchable) Power from Space is technically feasible using 1979 technologies • Safe for mankind and all other living things • Environmentally favorable to a remarkable extent, including greatly reduced use of water & land, very little fuel - - for transportation, not used for power production. • Predicted (using standard utility industry Levelized Cost of Energy[LCOE] methodology) to produce electricity for 2 to 3 cents/kWh more than that produced by burning coal. • The DoE Secretary cancelled the program in January 1980.

4. Objectives for 2013 • Use three decades of relevant technology advancements to lower mass and cost • Employ limited system advancements to improve upon the 1979 concept: • To the best of our limited resources: • Redefine the 1979 results • Generate Preliminary Costs and LCOE (To be provided later by Mr. Gordon Woodcock)

5. SolarHigh 2013 Participants • Hubert P. Davis - - former USAF (Korea) and NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), Manager of LM-5 Eagle, (first to land on the moon). As Manager of JSC Future Programs Office, persuaded NASA to study SBSP, A leader of the1970’s study • Gordon Woodcock - - Boeing Company retiree, associated with Saturn V design and construction, Study Manager for many NASA studies of future space initiatives, chief designer of Boeing SBSP Reference System Study of the 1970’s. • Dr. Richard Dickinson - -Jet Propulsion Laboratory retiree, ran 1970’s study of microwave power transmission, including test demonstration of feasibility, managed similar work in 1970’s study • Dr. Ted Talay – NASA Langley Research Center retiree, managed LaRC Vehicle Analysis Branch, including multi-year study of replacement vehicles for the Space Shuttle and for Heavy Lift.

6. Attributions • Mr. Sam Turcotte Davis, Mr. Rolando Espinosa and Mr. at Zukor International of San Antonio, Texas provided the art work for this presentation as a fellow volunteer. Their support is greatly appreciated. • Many other friends provided data, useful suggestions and critiques. Their help added to our output and we thank them.

7. Major Changes from 1979 Boeing/NASA/DoE SBSP Reference System • Employ 2013 technologies rather than those of 1979 • Eliminate major Geo-Stationary Orbit 500-person manufacturing base by using large Earth-manufactured elements assembled and then extended in space by robots. • Reduce output of each system from 5 Gwe to 2 Gwe to better match terrestrial network capacities and reduce first costs. • Alter microwave transmission downlink frequency from 2.45 GHz to 5.8 GHz to reduce transmitter size from 1-km diameter to 500 m, reducing mass and cost with acceptable loss in transmission efficiency. • Improve design of transmitter for commonality of elements and reduce I^2R losses

8. Precedent for Space-Based Solar Power: Apollo 11 Lunar Landing of July 20, 1969 The United States “did the impossible” before - - we can do it again

9. Why Go into Space for Solar Electricity? Total Annual Sunlight, kWh/m2 17.6% Much More Sunlight Constant rather than Intermittent Requires Very Little Energy Storage! Solar High

10. 2012 Concept Solar Power Generation/Transmission (

11. 2013 Concept Solar Power Generation/Transmission (Show Earth-facing side with four antenna elements on masts. Insert labels of parts and dimensions)

12. Fully Reusable Bimese Launcher Concept Common Booster & Orbiter Elements Updated from several years of work by NASA Langley Research Center on Space Shuttle II Payload bay = 6.5-m dia x 23-m length Payload: 60 mt to assembly orbit plus ~15 ton cylinder payload adapter • Dry Mass Booster = 460 Klb, Dry Mass Orbiter = 559 Klb • >70% of total liftoff mass is inexpensive liquid oxygen propellant. • Launch from equatorial sites to permit multiple launches/day.

13. 2013 SolarHigh Launch Concept Payload Capability vs. Orbit Altitude 0 deg inclination Equatorial launch 28.5 deg inclination KSC launch 51.6 deg inclination KSC launch Orbit Maneuvering System (OMS) system designed for 250 nmi circular orbit from initial 30 x 120 nmi injection New, highly capable and low cost space transportation system enables many other useful space endeavors, military, civil space exploration and private sector

14. Launch & Deploy Element Operations Self-transfer completed SPS to GSO using electric propulsion Solar Power Satellite Elements Assembly Orbit: GSO + TBD km Geosynchronous, or Geo-Stationary Orbit (GSO) 35,786 km (19,323 NM) altitude Electric Orbital Transfer Vehicles (EOTV) deliver SPS elements to beyond GSO; Returna to LEO orbit EOTV 450 km (243 NM) low-Earth orbit (LEO) to LEO Propellant Depot Bimese launch vehicle delivers up to 75 metric ton SPS pre-built elements to LEO EARTH

15. 2013 SolarHigh System Concept System Mass Properties Metric Tons Kg/kWe Solar Array & Support Structure Microwave Transmitter & Support 5,891 2.95 Power Management & Distribution Attitude Control & Station-keeping Avionics, Communications & Control Other Systems & Propellants Reserve Mass @ 10% __________ Total in Space Mass, Metric Tons = (The Rectenna is on Earth)

16. 2013 SolarHigh Electrical Power Distribution & Losses GWe Solar Array Power Aver. Output, Initial 5.5 Solar Array Power Aver. Output, end of 30 year life (assumes X% Loss due to radiation damage & other losses) PM&D Power Losses (rejected to space) Antennae Losses (rejected to space) Rectenna Losses (rejected to biosphere) Average Power Delivered to the Grid 24/7) 2.0 Efficiency, Power to Grid, (% of daily sunlight) =%

17. 2013 SolarHigh Solar Array Array Type Initial Efficiency, % Fill Factor, % Initial Output Power Rating, Gwe 30 yr. End of Life Power Rating, Gwe Array Size, km^2 Array Total Length, km Array Width, incl. Center Body, km Solar Array Total Mass, metric tons

18. 2013 SolarHigh Structures Type - - multiple type composite structures Total Length, Center Body, km Center Body Diameter, meters Center Body Source, Payload Canisters Peripheral Structure Type – GrEp Deployed Truss Peripheral Structure, Total Length, km Interior Structure Type - GrEp Deployed Truss Total Structural Mass, metric tons

19. 2013 SolarHigh On-board Power Management & Distribution Gordon

20. 2013 SolarHigh Microwave Transmitter Drawn from Dick’s presentation, may take 2 or even 3 slides

21. 2013 SolarHigh System Rectenna Drawn from Dick’s presentation, may take 2 slides

22. Conclusions 2013 system is greatly improved over its 1979 predecessor Preliminary cost analysis is expected to be much lower (A later Woodcock Presentation) Improved system costs may produce baseload electrical power for Earth that competes well with present energy options Further study is warranted - - Now!!

23. Recommendations Review this work by a competent team, re-doing the 1979 systems analysis at the level of detail done then. Include a large Powerplant A&E firm & EPRI as well as aerospace firms. Assign this task to NASA-JSC. Cost of this one year of work beginning in mid-2014 will be $50-100 mm, but its benefits can be enormous. In parallel, conduct critical tests, including some space tests in or near the ISS to reduce program risks; about $100 mm. If our results are confirmed or improved upon, begin implementation of SBSP, with the United States leading an international effort to bring benefits to all mankind. Early efforts must include development and fielding of a new, fully re-usable space transportation and space assembly infrastructure, essential to SBSP & usable by many others.