Combining Laser Communications and Power Beaming for use on Planetary Probes

1. Combining Laser Communications and Power Beaming for use on Planetary Probes Liz Hyde San Jose State University

2. Agenda • Introduction • Current issues for Planetary Probes: Communications and Power • Solutions: Laser Communications and Power Beaming • Improvements • Combine two units into one! • Proving the Technology • CubeSat-based Technology Demonstration Mission • Conclusions

3. Introduction: Current Issues Communications Power New developments in sensor technology increase the need of high-voltage power Solar power is unreliable at distances >1.5 AU Valuable data can be lost while probes are in eclipse • Increased data package size requires improvements in data rate • Alternative communication methods desired as to not congest RF bands

4. Solutions

5. Solution: Power and CommsWaystation

6. A Solution: Laser Communications • Laser Communications can increase data rate 100-1,000x that of traditional RF radios. • Technology has been tested in space (LRO, LADEE [2013]) • Technology also being used on the ground for military applications (Ship-to-Ship, UAV-to-Ground)

7. Laser Comms: How it Works 10010 11001 01010 Digital Data Photovoltaic Cells Decoder Laser *Think of Morse Code, transmitted by laser!

8. A Solution: Laser Power Beaming • Wireless power transfer idea has been around since 1950’s • Technology also applies to Space-to-Ground and Ground-to-Space applications • Space-to-Space demonstration in 2005 (JAXA/ESA)

9. Laser Power Beaming: How it Works

10. Bonus Improvement: Integrate Comms and Power Systems • Laser Communications and Laser Power have one big thing in common: the Laser! • A laser suited for Communications would also be suited for Power Beaming • Using one laser for multiple purposes saves on mass and volume.

11. Technology Demonstration

12. How To Demonstrate the Technology?CubeSats! • CubeSats have been used to for low-cost, fast-schedule technology demonstration missions • Using heritage equipment focuses development on payloads

13. Demo Mission: The Satellites Pitcher Catcher Payload consists of a deployable “target” photovoltaic array Included is the data and power decoding unit Avionics based off of previously flown designs (TechEdSat) Data transmitted to the ground using traditional RF means • Payload contains the Laser that will transmit both data and electrical power • Avionics based off of previously flown designs (TechEdSat) • Data is pre-loaded packets consisting of sample images (high-res images, sensor data, etc)

14. Demo Mission: The Satellites Pitcher Catcher

15. Demo Mission: The Satellites Pitcher Catcher

16. Conclusions

17. Conclusions • Both Laser Communications and Laser Power Beaming provide benefits for space probes • An added benefit to these technologies is the ability to have one unit preforming multiple tasks • Testing this technology with CubeSats may pave the way to larger usage of the technology

18. Acknowledgements • Dr. PeriklisPapadopolus • San Jose State University • James Grady • Global Enterprise Initiative Inc. • Marcus Murbach • NASA Ames Research Center

19. Questions? Thanks for your interest! Liz.L.Hyde@gmail.com

20. Back-up slides

21. End to End Efficiancy

22. Aiming Error Beam Diameter = 1.5m Target Panel Area = 0.3 x 0.3 m

23. Beam Divergance ϑ = Divergence angle dbeam = Diameter of beam at the target L = Separation distance ϑ dbeam L dbeam=2Ltan(ϑ/2)