STUDY OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEPLOYMENT FOR A TETHERED FLAT-TYPE SPS

摘要

A solar power system, in which a flat panel of the size of 2 km by 1.9 km with a capability of power generation and transmission is suspended by multi-wires connected to a bus system 10 km upward, is proposed as an innovative Solar Power Satellite (SPS) of 1 GW class. This SPS concept is highly robust and potentially low cost. The tethered panel is assembled by 400 tethered sub-panels which are loosely connected to each other. The tethered sub-panel is deployed automatically in the geosynchronous orbit. After completion of the functional test for the tethered sub-panel, it is integrated to the SPS main body. This paper discusses the feasibility of the over-all construction scenario for the tethered flat-type SPS. One of the important technologies in the construction scenario is automatic deployment of the sub-panel in two dimensions. A unique method using shape memory alloys for automatic deployment of the sub-panel is proposed based on laboratory experiments. Using a combination of different types of shape memory alloy, we can control the angles of the adjacent structural unit panels to keep the flatness of the sub-panel after the deployment.