# A Lightweight Space-based Solar Power Generation and Transmission Satellite

**Authors:** Behrooz Abiri, Manan Arya, Florian Bohn, Austin Fikes, Matan Gal-Katziri, Eleftherios Gdoutos, Ashish Goel, Pilar Espinet Gonzalez, Michael Kelzenberg, Nicolas Lee, Michael A. Marshall, Tatiana Roy, Fabien Royer, Emily C. Warmann, Nina Vaidya, Tatiana Vinogradova, Richard Madonna, Harry Atwater, Ali Hajimiri, Sergio Pellegrino  
**arXiv:** [2206.08373](https://arxiv.org/abs/2206.08373)  
**Date:** 2022-06-16  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/2206.08373v2/

## Key points

- Researchers led by Behrooz Abiri propose a new design for a space-based solar power array
- Design uses modular configuration of small, repeatable unit cells called tiles
- Tiles individually perform power collection, conversion and transmission
- Sunlight is collected via lightweight parabolic concentrators and converted to DC electric power with high efficiency III-V photovoltaics
- Several CMOS integrated circuits within each tile generate and control the phase of multiple independently-controlled microwave sources using the DC power
- Sources are coupled to multiple radiating antennas that act as elements of a large phased array to beam the RF power to Earth at a frequency chosen in the range of 1-10 GHz
- The resulting satellite has no movable parts once it is fully deployed and all beam steering is done electronically
- Design achieves significantly reduced mass compared to previous designs by taking advantage of solar concentration, current CMOS integrated circuit technology and ultralight structural elements.
- Safe, scalable and able to be deployed and tested with progressively larger configurations starting with a single unit cell that could fit on a cube satellite.
- Areal mass density of 160 g/m2 and an end-to-end efficiency of 7-14%
- Innovative approach could revolutionize energy production on Earth by providing clean energy from space without relying on fossil fuels or other non-renewable resources.

## Summary

A team of researchers led by Behrooz Abiri has proposed a novel design for a lightweight, high-performance space-based solar power array that can transmit power to Earth. The design uses a modular configuration of small, repeatable unit cells called tiles, which individually perform power collection, conversion and transmission. Sunlight is collected via lightweight parabolic concentrators and converted to DC electric power with high efficiency III-V photovoltaics. Several CMOS integrated circuits within each tile generate and control the phase of multiple independently-controlled microwave sources using the DC power. These sources are coupled to multiple radiating antennas that act as elements of a large phased array to beam the RF power to Earth at a frequency chosen in the range of 1-10 GHz. The power is then collected with ground-based rectennas at a local intensity no larger than ambient sunlight. The proposed design achieves significantly reduced mass compared to previous designs by taking advantage of solar concentration, current CMOS integrated circuit technology and ultralight structural elements. Notably, the resulting satellite has no movable parts once it is fully deployed and all beam steering is done electronically. The design is safe, scalable and able to be deployed and tested with progressively larger configurations starting with a single unit cell that could fit on a cube satellite. The research team believes this design represents a significant step forward in realizing space-based solar power - once considered science fiction - with an areal mass density of 160 g/m2 and an end-to-end efficiency of 7-14%. This innovative approach could revolutionize energy production on Earth by providing clean energy from space without relying on fossil fuels or other non-renewable resources.