The Interaction of Structural Dynamics with the Orbital Mechanics of Solar Power Satellites: Final Report

Space Based Solar Power concepts promise the generation of large amounts of renewable power by launching vast Solar Power Satellites (SPS) into space and beaming the power back to rectennas on Earth. Due to diffraction physics, large scale arrays delivering 2GW of power to the ground will be of the order of a kilometre in length and have masses of between 2,000 and 10,000 tonnes. There is significant and recently renewed interest in pursuing Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) technology, due to the need to decarbonise the energy supply to achieve Net Zero goals and a recent focus on achieving energy security. SBSP offers a number of potential advantages over the majority of terrestrial renewables, including high-capacity, dispatchable power that can be delivered across a large area.