High-altitude solar power platform

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5351741

Bailey, M D; Bower, M V

Solar power is a preeminent alternative to conventional aircraft propulsion. With the continued advances in solar cells, fuel cells, and composite materials technology, the solar powered airplane is no longer a simple curiosity constrained to flights of several feet in altitude or minutes of duration. A high altitude solar powered platform (HASPP) has several potential missions, including communications and agriculture. In remote areas, a HASPP could be used as a communication link. In large farming areas, a HASPP could perform remote sensing of crops. The impact of HASPP in continuous flight for one year on agricultural monitoring mission is presented. This mission provides farmers with near real-time data twice daily from an altitude which allows excellant resolution on water conditions, crop diseases, and insect infestation. Accurate, timely data will enable farmers to increase their yield and efficiency. A design for HASPP for the foregoing mission is presented. In the design power derived from solar cells covering the wings is used for propulsion, avionics, and sensors. Excess power produced midday will be stored in fuel cells for use at night to maintain altitude and course.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL (United States). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 5351741
• Report Number(s): N-92-21546; NASA-TM-103578; NAS-1.15:103578
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
AIRCRAFT
DESIGN
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
SOLAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION
AERODYNAMICS
AGRICULTURE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CROPS
ENERGY STORAGE
FUEL CELLS
INSECTS
PLANT DISEASES
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
REMOTE SENSING
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUID MECHANICS
INVERTEBRATES
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POWER SUPPLIES
PROPULSION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STORAGE
140600* - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems
330300 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Electric-Powered Systems
330600 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Vehicle Design Factors