Beamed power TO orbit?

I'm sorry I can't recall the exact 1980's paper, but my recollection is
that its suggested configuration was exactly that: 3 ground stations.
The idea was that constant coverage in LEO was not required --- while the
satellite races overhead, it gets a boost, and then goes out of range for a
while. As the satellite gets higher and higher, it hangs longer over each
ground station.

Ron Menich

Charles

06/20/01
09:02 AM
Please
respond to
ssi_list

>
> > Also, for a satellite in a non-GEO orbit, at least three ground
> > rectennas will be required.
>
> Possibly. And they have to be big, perhaps a kilometer across. Still,

Three ground rectennas is the minimum required, and even that will only
work for satellites
in high orbits, above about 10,000 km.

For LEO satellites an extensive network of ground stations is required
to achieve 100% coverage, and that becomes prohibitive.

Alternatively, a GEO relay station would be required.

> the power density is very low. It may be possible to build them from
> aluminium foil for ~3 dollars per square meter; maybe a little less
> or more.
>

Will this technology work for uplink rectennas ?

I am not sure how this would work.