Spacecraft power supply system using additional low-power sources of energy

Abstract

The article analyzes modern spacecraft power supply systems and possible options for extending their possibilities through the use of low-power electric energy sources (the energy of solar radiation reflected from the Earth and the energy of the magnetic field of the Earth). A conclusion is made as to the most appropriate type of spacecraft power supply systems for the use of additional low-power sources of energy. The peculiarities of operation of the proposed power supply system are discussed. A method of producing additional electric energy on board the spacecraft due to its rotation in the Earth's magnetic field is described. Mathematical models of the Earth's magnetic field are analyzed. A model of description of the geomagnetic field using a series of spherical harmonics (number of Gauss) was applied on the basis of the results of the analysis of these models to assess the magnitude of the magnetic induction in spacecraft low orbits. Based on the evaluation of the magnetic induction, the set parameters of the spacecraft and the orbit the average power of electrical energy generated by low-power sources for on-board power consumers in one orbit pass was calculated. A variant of using additional electrical energy on board a spaceship is proposed. The use of the proposed scheme will make it possible to expand the possibilities of spacecraft to receive, transform and accumulate electrical energy from primary low-power sources, which will make the spacecraft service life longer and improve its power supply capacity.