INTRODUCTION:The new millennium has introduced increased pressure for finding new renewable energy sources.

Also the demand of electric power increases at a much higher pace than other energy demands as the world is most INDUSTRIALZED.Thus the research has been carried out to look into the possibility of building a power station in Space to transmit electricity to Earth by means of RADIOWAVES-the SOLAR POWER SATELLITE. Solar power satellite converts solar energy into microwaves & sends that waves in to a beam to a receiving antenna on the earth for the conversion to ordinary electricity. It is also known by the variety of other names such as Satellite power system, Space power system, Solar power station, Space solar power station. HISTORY:The concept of a large Solar power satellite that would be placed in geostationary Orbit was invented by PETER GLASER in 1968; which was then examined during the late 1970s by U.S Department of Energy (DOE) & National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA).The central feature of this concept was the creation of a large scale power infrastructure in space, consisting of about 60 solar power satellite, delivering of about 300GW.Peter introduced the idea of space based solar power,thinking that we could use a satellite system of solar collectors & then use a microwave beam to transmit the stored energy to earth for distribution on power grid. The method for transmitted power via microwaves through long distances which is known as rectenna. TECHNOLOGY:SOLAR POWER SATELLITE would be located in the geosynchronous orbit. The solar energy collected by an SPS would be converted into electricity, then into microwaves. The microwaves would be beamed to Earths surface, where they would be received & converted back into electricity by a large array of devices known as rectifying antenna. Each SPS would have been massive; measuring 10.5km long & 5.3km wide or with an average area of 56sq km. The surface of the satellite would have been covered with 400 million solar cells. The transmitting antenna on the satellite would have been about 1km in diameter while receiving antenna would be about 10km in diameter.

ADVANTAGES:1) The full solar irradiation would be available at all times expect when the sun is eclipsed by the earth. 2) The power could be directed to any point on the earth surface. 3) The power density would be uninterrupted by darkness, clouds or precipitation, which are the problems encountered with earth based solar arrays. 4) No fuel required 5) No waste product. DISADVANTAGES:1) The main drawback of solar energy transfer from orbit is the storage of electricity during off peak demand hours. 2) The entire structure is massive. 3) High cost & much time require for construction. 4) Risks involved in malfunction. 5) Radiation hazards associated with the system. APPLICATION:1) Concentrating solar power-(CSP) system use lenses or mirrors & tracking system to Focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. The concentrated heat is then is then used as a heat source for a conventional power plant. 2) Photovoltaic-A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device that converts light into electric current using the photoelectric effect. REFERENCES:1) http://www.thespacereview.com/article/241/1 2) http://members.fcac.org/~sol/station/sps.html 3) http://www.spacefuture.com/archieve/conceptualstudyofsolarpowersatellitesps.shtml

TOPIC-SOLAR POWER SATELLITES

SUBMITTED BY:-CHILOTRE TARNJEET KOUR UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF PROF-

USHA MITTAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SNDT WOMENS UNIVERSITY SANTACRUZ (W) MUMBAI-400049.