2011 VIII International Conference on Antenna Theory and Techniques, September 20-23, Kyiv, Ukraine pp.

315-317
978-1-4577-2212-7/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE
ANTENNA-RECTIFIER FOR POWER SUPPLY
SUBSYSTEM OF LOW-SMALL SPACECRAFT
D. V. Gretskih, A. V. Gomozov, V. M. Shokalo, and Sh. F. A. Al-Sammarraie
Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Kharkiv, Ukraine
E-mail: andgom@rambler.ru
Abstract
An alternative way to get more electrical energy for small low-orbit spacecraft (SC),
based on wireless power transmission by microwave beam from the surface to improve
the energy balance of the spacecraft and spacecraft control capabilities for emergency
contingency system in its orientation is offered. The receiving subsystem of a wireless
energy transfer antenna-rectifier (rectenna) was designed. Rectenna has a two-layer
structure and receive the electromagnetic wave with circular polarization. To realize
this, the radiating antenna structure and rectifier are implemented as a system of or-
thogonal microstrip collinear conductors with the integrated Schottky open-frame di-
odes.
Keywords: wireless power transmission, rectenna, integrated Schottky diode, receiving-
rectifying element.
1. INTRODUCTION
One of the areas of space power is the usage of wire-
less power transmission (WPT) microwave beam. The
usage of such systems to power spacecraft (SC), under
the existing constraints of the energy balance of space-
craft is current and future direction.
Traditionally, the WPT system consists of passing
subsystem, located on the Earth surface and the on-
board receiver subsystem of rectenna. Rectenna con-
verts microwave energy into direct current and an
aggregate of receiving-rectifying elements (RRE), the
combined DC power collection circuit (PCC).
The advantages of the system to improve the energy
balance of WPT SC include:
1. The possibility of additional electricity as a light
and shadow parts of the orbit of the spacecraft during
its orbital flight, and regardless of the orientation of the
spacecraft to the Sun.
2. Relatively simple constructive use RRE and exe-
cuting the PCC using of existing technological proc-
esses, special equipment.
3. A slight increase in weight when retrofitting an
existing spacecraft subsystem power-supply spacecraft
by rectenna.
Based on these facts, we can give an idea of whether
to use the system for emergency WPT power supply in
the absence of charge current from the solar battery
(BS) to the load.
Embodiment of the ideas contained and is consid-
ered in this paper as an example of studying the possi-
bility of improving energy of the Ukrainian SC MS-2-
8. The focus of the review is given to rectenna.

2. STRUCTURE AND PARAMETERS
TRANSMISSION SUBSYSTEM OF WPT
The proposed technical solution for realization of
transmission subsystem of WPT is the following. As
the transmission subsystem WPT is proposed by the
authors to use the radio telescope RT-70 (Ukraine, Ev-
patoria) [1]. His two-channel transmitter "Goliath",
radiates of continuous signal at 5, 01 f = GHz
( 6 = cm) capacity 200 P
E
= kW. Reflector antenna
has a diameter 70
a
D = m and effective area
2760
ef
S = m
2
. It is easy to calculate the antenna gain
6
9, 634 10 G = (69,84 dB).
Since 2012 work planned RT-70 in foreign Theresa
Russian spacecraft "RadioAstron" and "Phobos-Grunt."
During orbital flight around the Earth low-orbit space-
craft last fall within the zone of visibility of the RT-70
about 6 turns per day and illuminated them during the
day, about 30 minutes, when the orbit of the spacecraft
is at the zenith of the RT-70 and at least 10 minutes
other spacecraft orbits around the Earth, which will
allow for a few turns of the spacecraft to collect the
proposed additional rectenna spacecraft (along with a
solar battery) power. The advantages of using a re-
giving sub WPT radiotelescope RT-70:
- no costs associated with creating a transmitting
subsystem WPT SC;
- small loss in this frequency range the propagation
of a microwave beam on the track;
- the possibility of continuous exposure to micro-
wave beam of rectenna spacecraft during walking in the
area of the SC review of RT-70;
- the high towards the properties of the antenna sys-
tem RT-70.
D. V. Gretskih, A. V. Gomozov, V. M. Shokalo, and Sh. F. A. Al-Sammarraie
316 2011 VIII International Conference on Antenna Theory and Techniques, September 20-23, Kyiv, Ukraine
The main drawback used as a transmitting subsys-
tem WPT radiotetelescope RT-70 is the inability to
focus the microwave beam, because far edge of the
Fresnel zone for the RT-70 is located at a distance of
160 km, id est SC, which are, for example, the low sun-
synchronous (near-circular) orbit at an altitude of 600
km, during his orbital flight, all the time in the far zone
of the RT-70 ( 600 r = ...2200 km downrange from
the RT-70 to SC, when the latter is within sight of the
RT-70 during the orbital flight of the spacecraft). At the
same time to achieve high efficiency values of the in-
terception of radiated power receiving aperture based
system functioning on the principle of WPT power
transmission of electromagnetic waves focused micro-
wave beam, in finding the point of focus in the Fresnel
zone (the maximum effect is achieved at a distance
from the transmitting subsystem WPT to the focusing
point of 0,1 to the boundary of the far zone) [2, 3].
Thus, the field along the aperture efficiency and rec-
tenna equal amplitude intercept is less than 1%.
We estimate in the direction of the main peak power
density, which makes the transmitter "Goliath" at a
distance 600 r = km (when the spacecraft is at the ze-
nith of the RT-70) in the aperture of rectenna the for-
mula [1]:
max 2
0, 316
4
P G
L
r
E

H = =
t
W/m
2
, (1)
where 1, 3 L ~ dB (0,741) path loss propagation of
electromagnetic waves.

3. RECTENNA STRUCTURE AND
CHARACTERISTICS
Proposed technical solutions the realization of the
rectenna are next. Rectenna is feasible to locate on the
now unused back side panels BS (total of 4 panels BS
1,65 m
2
), as well as heat shields of spacecraft that have
in aggregate a large area of BS (about 3,3 m
2
) [4].
To reduce the area of the aperture effectively rec-
tenna constructive must be done in the form of a multi-
layer microstrip structure. An example of a two-layer
rectenna is shown in Fig. 1.
Radiating system RRE performed as a set of collin-
ear band microstrip conductors, which breaks at regular
intervals include Schottky diodes (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Fragment with circular polarization rectenna

The use of such emitters constructive advantageous
for two reasons. Firstly, it is easy to implement series-
parallel network collect DC power. For radiation at a
given power in the load of rectenna need certain value
r
E and resistance of rectenna
r
R in DC. Estimated
value
r
E of the serial connection is achieved in the line
of RRE, and
r
R parallel connection lines (Fig. 1).
Secondly, it increases the reliability of rectenna as at
failure of a number of lines, rectenna conserved nits to
work but naturally with the worst parameters.
The field with circular polarization was taken, it
used RRE working on two orthogonal polarizations
with respect to the planes of the upper and lower layer
of the board (Fig. 1).
Substrate material is nylon, with of the relative per-
mittivity 3, 5
r
c = and dielectric loss tangent
0, 003 tgo = . Fig. 1 shows the calculated thickness of
the layers of the substrate.
As a rectifier element was open-frame detector Schot-
tky diode 3A149A-3 with the following parameter:
- possible changes in environmental temperature
during operation of the diode from -60C to +125 C;
- junction capacitance ( 0 = U )
0
0,1 = pF;
- loss resistance 6 = R
losses
Ohm;
- maximum permissible continuous power distribu-
tion 100 =
d
P mW;
- reverse current 10 =
s
I mkA;
- an indicator of the degree of current-voltage char-
acteristics of diode 35 o =
-1
.
The calculation of rectenna was performed by the
method proposed in [2].
It was found that the selected diode rectification ef-
ficiency can be obtained about 90% with an input resis-
tance RRE 200 Ohm.
In the simulation rectenna viewed as an infinite pe-
riodic array with cell dimensions of the Floquet 11 11
mm
2
The calculations obtained by the input resistance of
the receiving-element rectifier
672, 3 3, 25
in in in
Z R jX j = = Ohm.
Rectification efficiency values
rect
q depending on
the power flux-density of the incident on the cell Flo-
quet (taking into account the permissible power dissi-
pated by the diode) is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. The dependence of the efficiency of rectifica-
tion power flux density

Antenna-Rectifier for Power Supply Subsystem of Low-Small Spacecraft
2011 VIII International Conference on Antenna Theory and Techniques, September 20-23, Kyiv, Ukraine 317
From the obtained dependence shows that possibly
achieve efficiency rectification of the order of 58%.
Problem to be solved corresponds to point A in Fig.
2. Rectification efficiency of 37.9% when the incident
power flux density 0.316 W/m2 (see equation (1)).
We estimate the parameters of rectenna DC. It is easy
to calculate that at the minimum current of the battery
charge 0,1
L
I =

A and a voltage 34
L
U = V at the load
in her resistance of 340
L
R = Ohm. At the same EMF
of rectenna (subject to the conditions of transfer maxi-
mum power to the load (
r L
R R = )V. If an individual
has the 2 68
r L r
E I R = = equivalent RRE EMF
0, 64
e
E = V with internal resistance in 1635, 5
e
R =
Ohm, in order to obtain a friction the value of 68
r
E =
V should be combined RRE DC in the line of a coher-
ent . The number of elements in the line of rectenna
well
68
106.
0, 64
r
x
e
E
N
E
= = ~

(2)
In this case the equivalent resistance is equal to the
linear
106 1635, 5 173, 4
line x e
R N R = = = kOhm (3)
The value of 340
r
R = Ohm obtain a parallel union
lines. Thus the number of lines of equal
3
173, 4 10
510
380
line
y
r
R
N
R

= = = . (4)
Fig. 3 shows the association of the spiraling current
EMF equivalent of idling
e
E with the internal resis-
tance
e
R . Lower-making index indicates the number of
lines, and the top - the number of equivalent generator
in the lineup.
1
1
E 1
1
R
2
1
E 2
1
R
106
1
E 106
1
R
1
2
E 1
2
R
2
2
E 2
2
R
106
2
E 106
2
R
1
510
E 1
510
R
2
510
E 2
510
R
106
510
E 106
510
R

Fig. 3. Scheme combining RRE in DC

For a specified number of elements of a two-layer
aperture area is 3,271 m
2
of rectenna.
Thus it is proved that rectenna can be placed on an
unused area of 3,3 m
2
SC MS-2-8.
4. CONSLUSIONS
1. The idea of electrical energy replenishment in
spacecraft through the use of WPT is proposed.
2. It is shown that the radio telescope RT 70 can be
applied as a transmitter of such a system.
3. The design of multilayer rectenna providing set
parameters on power and area is described.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank professor Luchaninov A.I. for a
piece of advice during the research.
REFERENCES
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