High-Altitude Balloon
with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe, M.Eng, B.Eng
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
Goal
Develop the interim technologies
of space-based solar power into
stand-alone marketable products
Objectives:
•  Raise Technology Readiness Levels
•  Lower launch costs
•  Improve public relations
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
2
Product Description
sites.wff.nasa.gov
#1:Product
High-Al(tudeBalloon
#2:Services
Telecom
25 km
Cellphone,TV,
Radio,Internet,
Mapping,Defense
#3:Advantage
WirelessPowerTransmission
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
colourbox.com
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
3
Benefits to Space Power
1. Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
- Income stream to refine WPT technologies
2. Lower Launch Costs
- Power beaming for orbital transfer
(Bill Brown’s vision)
3. Public Acceptance
- WPT in day-to-day life
(ex. Public Wi-Fi, wireless charging)
Image: W.C. Brown, NASA-CB-179558 Rectenna Technology Program, PT-6902,
Report No. CR179558, N87-19556, Contract NAS3-22764, Mar 11, 1987
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
4
Product Design
1. “Superpressure” Ultra-Long Duration Balloon
Diurnally balanced
2. Thin-Film Rectifying Antenna “Rectenna”
85%, 1 kW/m2, 4 kW/kg [4]
3. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Propulsion
Fluid ion collision thrust
- Lightweight scaffolding
Ground Station
4. EM Wave Generator
(Magnetron, klystron, MASER, etc.)
5. Transmitting
Antenna
blazelabs.com/pics/supercell.jpg
rmcybernetics.com/science/propulsion/ehdt.htm
Image: intechopen.com/books/ict-energy-concepts-towards-zero-powerImage:
sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/spb_differences_between_zpandspb.html
information-and-communication-technology/electromagnetic-radiationenergy-harvesting-the-rectenna-based-approach
(Phased array, retrodirective)
lae.mit.edu/ehd/
[4] W. Brown, 1984 IEEE MTT-S International, San Francisco, CA, USA, 1984.
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
5
Product Design
Example System:
Efficiency [5]:
Distance, D:
Receiver Diameter:
Transmission Efficiency:
Transmitter Diameter:
25 km
19.3 m
80 % (arbitrary)
256 m ( 2.45 GHz)
108 m ( 5.80 GHz)
26 m ( 24.12 GHz)
[5] W.C. Brown and E.E. Eves, IEEE Trans Micro. Theory and Tec.,
vol 40, issue 6, pp. 1239-250, 1992.
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
6
Challenges
Safety
- WPT:
Energy density, accuracy / misdirection, atmospheric heating
- Balloon: Dropped cargo, control
- Combo: Balloon overheating, side lobes, reflection / jamming
Power
- 280 kW (Very high - regulation)
Transmitter Size
- 250 m diameter (Very large – cost, viability)
EHD Thruster
- Thrust / weight ratio = 1.3 N / kg [6]
- O.O.M. Too low
[6] K. Masuyama and S. Barrett, Proc. Royal Soc. A, 3 April, 2013.
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
Image: lae.mit.edu/ehd
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
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Challenges
Proposed craft:
Altitude:
25 km (82,000 ft)
Client Payload: 50 kg
Internal Systems: 20 kg
Item
Mass (kg)
Known EHD
efficiency
Mass (kg)
Anticipated EHD
efficiency
Balloon Skin
2,765
554
Thrusters
4,970
100
497
10
84
17
1,718
154
10,104
905
Scaffolding
Rectenna
Helium
TOTAL
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
8
Conclusion
•  Proposed technology
–  Geostationary high-altitude balloon
–  Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) propulsion
–  Wireless power transmission (WPT)
Superpressure Balloon
Rectenna
•  Challenges
–
–
–
–
Safety
Power
Size
EHD thrust / mass ratio
•  Benefits to Space Power
–  Funding to improve TRL
–  Reduced launch costs
–  Public acceptance of WPT
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
EHD Thrusters
Lightweight scaffolding
Payload
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
9
Thank You
Erinn van Wynsberghe
vanwyne@mcmaster.ca
High-Altitude Balloon
with Wireless
Power Transmission
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
10
Additional Slides
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
Altitude Selection
Prime Factors:
Ionosphere (50 km)
Balloon ceiling (45 km)
Drag Force per Altitude
Minimize drag force
25 km
Air traffic (10-11 km)
Weather (2-6 km)
Ground
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
FD = Drag force
p = Air density
u = Wind speed
CD = drag coefficient
A = Exposed surface area
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
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Product Design
1. Superpressure Ultra Long-Duration Balloon
- Developed by NASA (shell = 1.5 mil co-extruded LLDPE film)
- No altitude variation through day / night cycle
- Altitude optimized for lowest drag force (25 km / 15 miles)
http://blog.metservice.com/tag/super-pressure-balloon/
stuff.co.nz/science/67523343/Nasa-launches-super-pressure-balloon-at-Wanaka
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/spb_differences_between_zpandspb.html
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
13
Product Design
2. Rectifying Antenna (“Rectenna”)
- Convert EM wave to Direct Current
- High efficiency
- Long history
intechopen.com/books/ict-energy-concepts-towards-zero-powerinformation-and-communication-technology/electromagneticradiation-energy-harvesting-the-rectenna-based-approach
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
- Thin film, printed / etched circuit
- 2.45 GHz
- 85% efficiency
- 1 watt / gram
W.C. Brown. 1982 IEEE MTT-S International
Microwave Symposium Digest
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
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Product Design
3. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Propulsion
- “Ioncraft”, “lifter”
- Fluid ions collide with neutrals to create thrust
- No mechanical moving parts
- Silent, no heat signal
http://www.blazelabs.com/pics/supercell.jpg
lae.mit.edu/ehd/
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
rmcybernetics.com/science/propulsion/ehdt.htm
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
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Product Design
4. EM Wave Generator
- Magnetron
- Klystron
- Room-Temperature MASER
hawkeye-greyhound-association.org/2014/04/02/project-cadillac-aew-and-the-us-navy-part-one/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klystron
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v488/n7411/full/nature11339.html
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
16
Product Design
5. Transmitting Antenna
- Phased Array Antenna
- Retrodirective Antenna
rfcafe.com/references/electrical/ew-radar-handbook/frequency-phase-effects-antennas.htm
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
mwrf.com/passive-components/retrodirective-array-fits-compact-designs
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
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Advantages
Alternative to satellites, telecom towers, UAVs (drones)
Financial
•  Low cost
•  Rent vs. Buy
Technical
•  Rapid deployment
•  Adjust OR lock position
•  Quick & easy repair
Environmental
•  Removable (no space debris)
•  No pollution
•  Low Carbon footprint
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
Launch Cost Comparison
Agency
Russia / Europe [1]
Launch Cost
2 Tons
($ USD Million)
100 – 260.0
United Launch Alliance [1]
SpaceX Falcon 9 [2]
NASA Superpressure Balloon [3]
380.0
57.0
1.6
[1] qz.com/481025/the-new-frontier-for-big-agriculture-is-aquaculture/
[2] airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?no-ist
[3] stuff.co.nz/science/67523343/Nasa-launches-super-pressure-balloon-at-Wanaka
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
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Advantages
Alternative to satellites, telecom towers, UAVs (drones)
Strategic
•  Silent
•  Invisible to IR detection
•  Zero emissions
•  No mechanical moving parts
•  Operable at any temperature
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
19
Potential Markets
Alternative to satellites, telecom towers, UAVs (drones)
Commercial
•  Broadcast: TV, Radio, Internet, Mobile Phones
•  Mapping & Surveying
•  Meteorology
Academia
•  Space & Astronomy
•  Earth Observation
Government
•  Search & Rescue
•  Border Patrol
•  Military: Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
20
Path Forward
Starting New Business
Strategic Partnerships
Pitch Deck / Business Plan
Budget
Financial Projections
Superpressure Balloon
Rectenna
Seeking Government / Equity Financing
Research & Development
Safety & Regulation
Computer Simulations
Technology Demonstrations
Working Model
Prototype
Mass Production
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
EHD Thrusters
Lightweight scaffolding
Payload
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
21
Frequency Letter Bands
microwaves101.com/encyclopedias/frequency-letter-bands
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
22
ISM Bands
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISM_band
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
23
Atmospheric Absorption
rfcafe.com/references/electrical/atm-absorption.htm
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
24
Atmospheric Absorption
Frequency (GHz)
Loss % (Per km)
Loss % (Total)
2.45
0.14
1.15
5.8
0.14
1.15
24.125
2.73
22.70
Air Density (kg/m^3)
Air Density
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
Series1
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0
10
20
30
Altitude (km)
Data: engineeringtoolbox.com/standard-atmosphere-d_604.html
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
High-Altitude Balloon with Wireless Power Transmission
Erinn van Wynsberghe
25
End
Erinn van Wynsberghe
vanwyne@mcmaster.ca
High-Altitude Balloon
with Wireless
Power Transmission
IEEE WiSEE - SSP 2015 Workshop Technical Program
December 14, 2015 Orlando, FL
26