In Roskosmos reported an intention to conduct an experiment on wireless transmission of energy in space with the help of laser beam. By means of laser electricity on board the Russian segment of the ISS will be transferred to the transport ship “Progress”, which will be the distance to 1.5 km. Experiment by specialists RSC “Energia”. Reported Ghhauto.ru.
Many of the leading scientists of Russia are connected to the experiment. It is reported that domestic developers have managed to create a photovoltaic receivers converters with an efficiency of about 60%. “To resolve the beam guidance system based on the company prepared track, where the distance between the transmitter and receiver is 1.5 km away. The system is successfully operating in test mode, “- said head of the department of energy systems of space vehicles of the new generation of RSC” Energia “Vyacheslav Tugaenko
The specialists RSC” Energia “argue that the efficiency of the entire tract could within 10-20% and using the latest advances in laser technology and optoelectronics are all opportunities to increase it to 30%. Developers want to create an effective laser systems in the future to transmit power from the spacecraft powerful enough power plants to other spacecraft, equipped with special receivers-transmitters, which opens up new possibilities in the exploration of space.
refuel spacecraft offered in orbit for a long time; in various forms the idea formulated with the middle of the last century. In particular, the founder of the missile Wernher von Braun believed that satellite-refueling tankers will become a reality by the seventies of the last century.
NASA in February 2014 has conducted ground tests robotic system PROxiTT, designed for automated refueling satellites in orbit – the results were found to be successful. Even earlier, in 2011, Intelsat reported the contract with the Canadian company MDA to build orbital refueling tankers SIS, which will be able to deliver two tons of fuel for the spacecraft in geostationary orbit. But while the orbit of the satellite, no tanker was launched.
According to Andrei Ioannina, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics. KE Tsiolkovsky, the active development of such areas of satellite as the creation of orbital refueling tankers, mainly prevents non-obvious economic feasibility of refueling satellites in orbit.
«It is necessary to build a complex spacecraft, display it in orbit, while the lack of fuel – this is not the most urgent problem for communications satellites owned by Intelsat, – quotes Ioannina “Izvestia”. – The geostationary satellites to provide electro-reactive engines for 20 years, and in reality, they have obsolete equipment before and crashes than running out of fuel. Refueling in orbit may be required in cases when the satellite is unique, expensive. For example, remote sensing device with high resolution may require additional – those flying in low orbits, a lot of maneuvering. Remote filling can be useful military apparatus ».