Abstract
A method is described for storing electrical energy in space using a charged particle beam circulating in Earth's geomagnetic field, with energy injection and extraction performed by oscillating ion cluster kickers (OICKs) mounted on a constellation of satellites operating within the inner Van Allen belt (approximately 2,000–3,000 km altitude). The system functions as a kinetic battery for orbital power infrastructure, complementing existing or proposed space-based solar power architectures. Unlike chemical batteries, the storage medium does not degrade with cycling. The geomagnetic field provides the confining structure without mass cost. This disclosure describes the architecture, the underlying physics, energy balance estimates, and integration with current orbital power proposals.
This document is released as a defensive publication under CC-BY 4.0. The author makes no claim of patent protection and explicitly intends this disclosure to establish prior art so that any party may freely build on these concepts.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Harbison, Daniel Austin, "Geomagnetic Kinetic Energy Storage Using Oscillating Ion Cluster Kickers for Orbital Power Infrastructure", Technical Disclosure Commons, ()
https://www.tdcommons.org/dpubs_series/10125