Space-based wireless solar power transfer via a network of LEO satellites: Doppler effect analysis

The space-based solar power (SBSP) concept was introduced during the 1970s. However, the technology difficulties during that period stalled its development. Nowadays, SBSP has regained the interest of researchers as it is considered a reliable source of green energy. A solar power harvesting method using a spacecraft formation in a Low Earth Orbit has been introduced in the literature. Each spacecraft in the formation harvests the solar energy and transmits the power to the ground station simultaneously. However, high relative speed within the spacecraft, and also within the spacecraft and the earth, causes nonhomogeneous doppler spread during solar power transmission. This reduces SBSP power transmission efficiency. In this paper, the impact of Doppler spread variation between two spacecraft in the formation, and also with respect to the receiver (leader satellite or ground station) on the power transmission performance is investigated by considering different formation configurations.