Value chain · CLM-1175
In plain terms
The design would control its orientation without fuel. Small mirror panels near its front carry a coating whose reflection can be changed electrically. Changing how much sunlight each panel reflects changes the push of sunlight on it, which can damp the satellite's wobble and control it about all three axes. A Japanese satellite, IKAROS, used the same kind of coating.
The claim as recorded
CASSIOPeiA's paper proposes steering the craft's attitude with sunlight pressure on reflector panels whose reflection is switched electrically, like those demonstrated on the IKAROS satellite. It adds to the passive restoring torque of a sun-facing reflective area forward of the centre of mass: "by overlaying these reflectors with electrochromic material - such as the liquid crystal devices demonstrated on the IKAROS satellite [13], propellentless active damping can be achieved whilst maintaining the satellite's solid-state characteristic", and "Fig. 8 details four such (slightly tilted) reflector panels providing 3-axis control."
Evidence behind this: T2 journal paper by the concept's inventor, describing the intended attitude control; no test, model or numbers.
Scope and limits
A PROPOSAL WITH NO NUMBERS: no panel area, torque, switching time or slew rate. SRC-026 frames the active part as "damping" of the oscillation that passive stability leaves, plus "3-axis control". It does not say the panels perform the once-a-year turn about the axis, or any large slew. The source's word is "electrochromic", not "opaque" or "on command". The IKAROS precedent is cited through a JAXA press release ([13]), which is not held. The passive restoring-torque sentence that opens the span is already in CLM-0441; this record adds the active, switchable part.
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
PDF 6 [175], H2: "Arranging a small (in-proportion) additional sun-facing reflective area forward of the system centre of mass provides passive stability"; H2: "By itself, this would not prevent oscillation, but, by overlaying these reflectors with electrochromic material"; raw (continuing after the page's en dash): "such as the liquid crystal devices demonstrated on the IKAROS satellite [13], propellentless active damping can be achieved whilst maintaining the satellite's solid-state characteristic."; H2: "Fig. 8 details four such (slightly tilted) reflector panels providing 3-axis control." Fig. 8 caption, H2: "Full planar reflector (2-sun), with detail of electrochromic attitude control." The Fig. 8 detail, read at the render, shows four paired-panel sketches labelled "Neutral", "Pitch", "Roll" and "Yaw", with different shading on the paired panels. PDF 9 reference [13], raw: "Successful Attitude Control by LCD" (JAXA, 2010).
Basis: attitude-control mechanism; number of control axes
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-1175
CLM-1175, Energy Aperture, as of 2019.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.
- Also from SRC-026
- CLM-0004The author of the 2019 CASSIOPeiA paper states the beam's strongest point is about 230 watts per square metre, and says that figure was...CLM-0006None of the five main studies mentions the international radio-frequency exposure limits, or any safety standard, or a restricted area...CLM-0013The paper that modern UK studies rely on for the beam figure calls anything below 1 kilowatt per square metre safe, with 230 watts per...CLM-0336Different design studies over four decades have each simply assumed a different working lifetime for a solar power satellite, from about 15...CLM-0339A 2019 paper said solar power satellites are often assumed to need visits in orbit for repairs and refuelling, but that no system yet...CLM-0441A normal geostationary satellite needs a small, regular fuel-based nudge every year to stay in place. One 2019 design proposes cutting most...CLM-0504None of the main CASSIOPeiA-related documents in the register mentions any named safety or exposure standard, or describes any restricted...CLM-0660The 2019 CASSIOPeiA paper does not discuss electric propulsion for getting the satellite to its orbit. It only prices delivery using...More on the source page.