田中 孝治

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This work presents digital retrodirective method to do microwave power transfer (MPT) for solar power satellite (SPS). Due to space environment, there is concern of antenna deformation, which will affect beam forming. Size of SPS is large and synchronization among antenna modules is difficult. Flexibility regarding frequency selection for MPT is also a requirement for SPS. Digital Retrodirective method determines phase of pilot signal and power signal is transmitted with conjugate phase. Digital Signal Processing (DSP) circuit is used for digital retrodirective method. Experiment is performed without antenna deformation and with antenna deformation cases. Digital retrodirective method performs beam forming without synchronization among antenna modules and corrects effect of antenna deformation successfully. Flexibility for frequency selection is also achieved by the DSP circuit. The presented results confirm that digital retrodirective method is a good candidate for power transfer from SPS.

We are studying and developing a hybrid system combined with thin film and bulk structure to realize a solar power satellite (SPS). One of the problems of realization for SPS is the number of space transportation. Therefore, to reduce the number of space transportation, we're considering replacing some functions from a bulk structure with by lightweight and thin flexible structure. Also, to meet temperature requirements, thermal design of hybrid structure for the SPS should be considered. In this study, we found thermal structural conditions of hybrid system combined with thin film and bulk structure for SPS.

This paper discusses the near-field measurement results of deployable seven-panel parallel plate slot-array antenna system compatible with 100kg class satellite. This antenna system will be used for SAR image acquisition on-board Synspective Inc.'s first demonstration satellite Strix-Alpha, scheduled to be launched in 2020.