1295results about "Cosmonautic power supply systems" patented technology

A high efficiency, environmentally friendly system comprising a plurality of photovoltaic solar collecting panels (PV panels) is disclosed. The system comprises an outer frame to which a plurality of inner frames are mounted to which the plurality of PV panels are attached. To minimize shadowing by the outer frame upon one or more PV panels, at least one PV panel may extend beyond an endpoint of the main frame. The system also comprises an outer frame rotation actuator that rotates the outer frame and an inner frame rotation actuator that rotates the inner frames and the plurality of PV panels. The solar tracking array frames disclosed herein help to improve the quality of the environment by conserving a variety of energy resources (e.g., fossil fuels, hydroelectric energy, etc.) The solar tracking array frames disclosed herein also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as solar tracking array frames do not produce carbon dioxide byproducts.

A lightweight photovoltaic concentrator is disclosed. The concentrator comprises at least two sections each comprising a cell panel, a radiator panel and a reflector panel. In one embodiment, the concentrator system of the present invention comprises at least two hinged sections each comprising a solar cell panel, a flat radiator panel, and a curved reflective concentrator panel. The solar cell panel comprises at least one photovoltaic cell for generating electrical power in response to radiation. The solar cell panel is aligned with the radiator panel at an angle less than 180 degrees but not less than 90 degrees facing the reflective concentrator panel. In another embodiment, the cell panels on adjoining sections are angled in opposite directions with respect to the radiator panels and wherein the reflective concentrator panels are located on opposite sides of the radiator panels. A heat pipe or loop heat pipe is located in the radiator panel to dissipate heat from the solar cells.

A deployable structure is disclosed. The deployable structure may include one or more slit-tube longerons; and one or more flat sheets coupled with the one or more slit-tube longerons. The one or more slit-tube longerons and the one or more flat sheets may be stowed by rolling the one or more slit-tube longerons and the one or more flat sheets together into a roll. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the one or more slit-tube longerons may be exposed when stowed. In another embodiment, the one or more slit-tube longerons may be manufactured from a shape memory material. These slit-tube longerons unroll into to a straight configuration when exposed to heat.

A method of reducing propagation of threading dislocations into active areas of an optoelectronic device having a III–V material system includes growing a metamorphic buffer region in the presence of an isoelectronic surfactant. A first buffer layer may be lattice matched to an adjacent substrate and a second buffer layer may be lattice matched to device layers disposed upon the second buffer layer. Moreover, multiple metamorphic buffer layers fabricated in this manner may be used in a single given device allowing multiple layers to have their band gaps and lattice constants independently selected from those of the rest of the device.

A novel, high-efficiency, extremely light-weight, inflatable refractive solar concentrator for space power is described. It consists of a flexible Fresnel lens, flexible sides, and a back surface, together enclosing a volume of space which can be filled with low pressure gas to deploy the concentrator on orbit. The back surface supports the energy receiver/converter located in the focal region of the Fresnel lens. The back surface can also serve as the waste heat radiator. Prior to deployment, the deflated flexible lens and sides are folded against the back surface to form a flat, low-volume package for efficient launch into space. The inflatable concentrator can be configured to provide either a line focus or a point focus of sunlight. The new inflatable concentrator approach will provide significant advantages over the prior art in two different space power areas: photovoltaic concentrator arrays and high-temperature solar thermal conversion systems. Photovoltaic concentrator arrays using the new inflatable lens will be much lighter than prior space concentrator arrays. In addition, for photovoltaic concentrator arrays, the new inflatable lens will eliminate the need for a fragile glass superstrate to support the lens, substantially improving robustness of the lens. Solar thermal concentrator arrays using the new inflatable lens will be much lighter than prior art space concentrators which used parabolic mirrors. In addition, for solar thermal applications in space, the new inflatable lens will eliminate the need for high surface accuracy, which has been a significant problem for prior art concentrators.

A method and apparatus for deploying a group of panels. An apparatus comprises a group of panels in a folded configuration against a side of a spacecraft, a group of flexible members connected to the group of panels, and an interface system associated with the group of panels and the group of flexible members. The interface system is configured to move the group of panels from the folded configuration to a deployed configuration when the group of flexible members is extended from the spacecraft.

A deployable structure that may include a slit-tube longeron and a flat panel coupled with the slit-tube longeron. The slit-tube longeron may include a tubular member having a slit that runs along the longitudinal length of the slit-tube longeron. The deployable structure may be configured to couple with a satellite. And the deployable structure may be configured to transform between a stowed state and a deployed state where the tubular member is substantially straight when the deployable structure is in the deployed state, and the tubular member is wrapped around the satellite when the deployable structure is in the stowed state.

A system for oxygen, hydrogen and carbon mass regeneration and recycling for breathing, and fuel/energy generation purposes, especially for fuel cells and rocket motors, by combination and integration of a photoelectrolytically powered electrochemical and gas handling system with one or more fuel cells.

There is an increasingly intense need to harness solar energy due to an ever growing shortage of conventional energy sources, The instant invention is concerned with method and apparatus for solar concentrator micro-mirrors on solar power satellites and the moon to focus and reflect large quantities of solar energy. Method and apparatus are taught for directly reflecting solar energy to the Earth; reflecting solar energy to a microwave converter in space which transmits microwave energy to the Earth; and reflecting solar energy to a laser radiation converter which beams laser radiation to the Earth. The concentrated energy received at the Earth may be converted directly to electricity or indirectly by thermo-mechanical means. The advantages and disadvantages of the different means of sending such concentrated energy to the Earth are discussed. A particularly important objective of this invention is the focussing of sunlight for solar power conversion and production. The instant invention can contribute to the goal of achieving environmentally clean solar energy on a large enough scale to be competitive with conventional energy sources.

A system for, and method of recovering a solar-powered spacecraft from an anomaly that renders the attitude of the spacecraft unknown includes maintaining a power-safe attitude by switching between two orthogonal axes using solar panel current sensors. The system and method may also include simultaneously determining spacecraft attitude using a star sensor. The system is applicable to spacecraft operating in a solar wing-stowed configuration.

Power supply satellites may be launched to LEO and boosted to GEO using power generated on board from solar insolation. A cluster of power production satellites may be operated as a phased antenna array to deliver power to one or more ground-based facilities, which may be located in different time zones.

A battery cell balancing system (12) for a battery (30) having a plurality of cells (32) is provided. The system (12) includes a power supply (38) and a plurality of transformer/rectifier circuits (34) electrically coupled to the cells (32). Preferential charging occurs for a cell with the lowest state of charge. At least one current limiting device (36) is electrically coupled to the transformer/rectifier circuits (34) and the power supply (38). The current limiting device (36) buffers a source voltage from a reflected voltage of at least one of the plurality of cells (32). A method of performing the same is also provided.

A protective polymeric coating is applied to the surface of various objects which are to be exposed to a harsh environment. The protective polymeric coating covers the exposed surface, where the polymeric coating includes a polyimide polymer. The polyimide polymer in the polymeric coating has a backbone with at least one non-terminal phenyl group. A linkage is connected to the non-terminal phenyl group, where the linkage can be an amide linkage or an ester linkage. An oligomeric silsesquioxane compound is connected to the linkage through an organic substituent, where the oligomeric silsesquioxane is not incorporated into the polymer backbone. The polymeric coating provides protection to the underlying object.

A method of determining the attitude of a spinning spacecraft is provided. The method includes stabilizing the spacecraft, initializing the attitude of the spacecraft using star tracker data, and estimating the attitude of the spacecraft.

A space transportation propellant depot has multiple locations, sources and capabilities. Maximizing known mature technologies coupled with realistic industrial techniques results in the incremental development of a propellant source on the moon. Propellant depots are economically driven locations with defined services, sources of propellant and innovation in the pursuit of transportation related commerce as mankind explores for resources beyond Earth.