Space Elevators: An Advanced Earth-Space Infrastructure for the New Millennium
Language: English
Pages: 48
ISBN: 1410225518
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
What is a space elevator? A space elevator is a physical connection from the surface of the Earth to a geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) above the Earth .35,786 km in altitude. Its center of mass is at the geostationary point such that it has a 24-hr orbit and stays over the same point above the equator as the Earth rotates on its axis. The vision is that a space elevator would be utilized as a transportation and utility system for moving people, payloads, power, and gases between the surface of the Earth and space. It makes the physical connection from Earth to space in the same way a bridge connects two cities across a body of water. The Earth to GEO space elevator is not feasible today, but could be an important concept for the future development of space in the latter part of the 21st century. It has the potential to provide mass transportation to space in the same way highways, railroads, power lines, and pipelines provide mass transportation across the Earth's surface. The low energy requirements for moving payloads up and down the elevator could make it possible to achieve cost to orbit <$10 kg.="" the="" potential="" for="" low-cost="" mass="" transportation="" to="" space="" makes="" consideration="" of="" technology="" paths="" required elevator="" construction="" very="" important="" today.="" are="" beneficial="" many="" other="" developments="" and="" can="" yield="" incremental="" benefits="" as="" progress="" is="" made="" toward="" making="" feasible.<="" div="">
Into the Black: JPL and the American Space Program, 1976-2004
3:16: Carnage Amongst the Stars
Gamma-ray Astronomy (2nd Edition) (Cambridge Astrophysics)
Exploring the X-ray Universe (2nd Edition)
These systems provide sway control for additional comfort in high winds and stabilization during earthquake emergencies. However, no tall buildings or structures have been built with their basic structural integrity dependent on an active system. • Observation platform: A permanent observatory on a tall tower would be competitive with airborne and orbital platforms for Earth and space observations. • Solar power receivers: Receivers located on tall towers for future space solar power systems
recovers and reuses this energy could make the total system very energy efficient.19 One analysis determined that the energy required to climb the space elevator from the ground to GEO would be ≈60 MJ/ kg. If an energy system were used equivalent to the ISS solar arrays producing ≈60 W/kg, it would take ≈12 days to climb the structure at an average speed of 125 km/hr. This is the type of system that would be anticipated for a conventional elevator for construction, maintenance, and repair. An
accelerators lies in their high efficiencies (>90 percent if a superconducting bucket coil is utilized) and the possibility of reusing the projectile bucket through deceleration by changing the polarity of the drive electromagnets. The high electric efficiency is mostly due to the oscillatory energy discharge from the storage capacitors. They are recharged virtually automatically, with the “lost” energy (imparted to the projectile as kinetic energy) showing up as a lower voltage across the drive
studies to do detailed computational modeling for the space elevator concepts that include realistic structural, mechanical, orbital, atmospheric, and operational aspects of the system. Include some detailed life cycle cost analyses to determine range of dollars per kilogram for user launch costs. • Analyze cost-effectiveness of space elevators as compared to other projected means for placing personnel and equipment in the space environment for the timeframe under consideration. • Analyze
Elevator” Concepts, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, June 8–10, 1999. 23. Vaughn, J.: “Space Environmental Effects on Materials,” Unpublished presentation, Advanced Space Infrastructure Workshop on Geostationary Orbiting Tether “Space Elevator” Concepts, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, June 8–10, 1999. See also “The Natural Space Environment: Effects on Spacecraft,” NASA Reference Publication 1350, November 1994. 24. Lajoie, R.M.: “Space “Debris” and Elevator Tethers,” The Boeing Company,
