U.S.-Japan Joint Seminar: Space Solar Power Systems

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

03150990 Itoh This award supports the participation of American scientists in a U.S.-Japan joint seminar on space solar power systems to be held in Kyoto, Japan from July 3-4, 2003. The co-organizers are Professor Tatsuo Itoh at the University of California, Los Angeles and Professor Hiroshi Matsumoto at Kyoto University in Japan. The meeting will bring together research scientists from the U.S. and Japan, two countries where important and exciting progress in this area of science is being undertaken. The Space Solar Power Satellite (SSPS) project is a technology for renewable sources of energy obtained by collecting the solar power in space, transforming its energy into a high power microwave beam that is then directed to the surface of the earth. On the ground this directed microwave beam is rectified into DC power for delivery, storage and other use. Japan has also created Solar Power Satellite projects both among industries and universities. They have also been looking into various aspects of the SSPS, such as solar cells, large scale space structures, microwave generation and transmission, ground based rectennas, robotics, electrical propulsion, attitude control, system design and operations, environmental effects, and economic impacts. These study elements include both practical implementation issues and scientific basic research issues. The co-organizers have complementary scientific expertise in the field. This enables them to evaluate and attract the best scientists to participate. The development of sustainable, renewable energy supplies is an area where both the U.S. and Japan clearly have a very strong common interest. Both countries are interested in developing alternatives to oil and nuclear power. In addition, power beaming will require some international agreements on the use of spectrum space between the countries to make it possible. The seminar organizers have made a special effort to involve graduate students as both participants and observers. The exchange of ideas and data with Japanese experts in the field will enable U.S. participants to advance their own work, and will set the stage for future collaborative projects. Following the seminar the organizers plan to provide conference proceedings on their UCLA Microwave Electronics Laboratory Web page.