Microwave Power Beaming Experiments in Tronto and Hawaii for the Solar Power Satellite

摘要

We believe the beam control system of the microwave is one of the most important and critical issues to realize the SPS. The retrodirective antenna is a very promising technology using pilot signal radiated from the receiving site to the transmitting antenna. We have already performed the small demonstration on the retrodirective antenna at the IAF Congress at Amsterdam in 1999 and the S-310-36 sounding rocket experiment between the rocket and the ground in 2006. We carried out the beam control test at a long distance from Mt. Haleakea at Maui Island to Mt. Mauna Lea in the big island in Hawaii. The distance between two mountains is about 150 km, which is a quarter of the distance between the low earth orbit and the ground. This transmission test is equivalent to the LEO space demonstration. We have already performed the first experiment in Hawaii last May supported by the Discovery Channel for the TV show.