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The Space Elevator: An Exciting Challenge

The Space Elevator: An Exciting Challenge. Tom Nugent Research Director LiftPort, Inc. tom.nugent@liftport.com. Think Big!. A Space Elevator?. Port of the Solar System. Railroad to space. Just like twirling a ball-on-a-string over your head. Balance forces above and below GEO

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The Space Elevator: An Exciting Challenge

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  1. Exploratorium The Space Elevator: An Exciting Challenge Tom Nugent Research Director LiftPort, Inc. tom.nugent@liftport.com

  2. Exploratorium Think Big!

  3. Exploratorium A Space Elevator? Port of the Solar System Railroad to space

  4. Exploratorium Just like twirling a ball-on-a-string over your head Balance forces above and below GEO Taper ribbon cross-sectional area for constant stress Net tension in ribbon allows vehicles (“Lifters”) to climb into orbit How Does It Work?

  5. Exploratorium The Liftport

  6. Exploratorium Ribbon+Lifter

  7. Exploratorium Counterweight

  8. Deployment • Seed ribbon • ~1 tonne capacity • Assemble in LEO, boost to GEO via power beaming • Lower one end of ribbon towards Earth, boost other end • Gravity-gradient stabilization Exploratorium

  9. Exploratorium Why Build It? (1) • Safety & Reliability • Rockets have ~5% failure rate • SE gives a gentle ride • Reduced vibrations etc. for cargo

  10. Exploratorium Why Build It? (2) • Economics • Rockets are Expensive • Ferries vs. Bridge, or Covered Wagon vs. Railroad • Capacity • SPS? • Bigger satellites • Real estate (GEO port) • Profit!

  11. Why Now? • Carbon nanotubes (discovered 1991) make the SE feasible • High strength • Low density Exploratorium

  12. Strength! • Strength-to-weight is most important property • Requires improvement of 11x-25x! • Get mass reduction by factor of trillions • What is appropriate safety factor? Exploratorium

  13. Research Questions (1) • Lightning • Wind • Twist of ribbon • Weight of precipitation • Atomic oxygen • Orbital Debris • Deployment • Power Beaming Exploratorium

  14. Research Questions (2) • Elastic energy • Cascading failure? • Ribbon safety factor • Learn from structural engineers, current systems Exploratorium

  15. Exploratorium Research Questions (3) • Thermal flux • Earth's shadow • CTE mismatch between CNTs and matrix • Electromagnetic interaction

  16. Research Questions (4) • Lifter vehicle • Endurance • Multiple physical regimes • Heat management • Others: • Radiation damage to ribbon • Ribbon inspection and position monitoring • Adequate testing of pre-cursor components • Cumulative damage • Vehicle acceleration limits • Alternate designs (e.g., balloon platform) Exploratorium

  17. Exploratorium Roadmap

  18. Exploratorium How Do We Tackle Questions? • Piggyback on research in other fields • Space tethers, laser launch, debris mitigation, weather forecasting, magnetosphere, material fatigue, etc. • “Volunteers” • Most current SE researchers • Partner with interested researchers • Collaborate on grant-writing • Pay big $$ for detailed engineering work

  19. Finding Solutions • Partnering • Universities: professors, graduate students, undergrads, research staff • Guidance • Thesis topics • Independent study projects • Volunteers • Interns and LiftPort in-house work • Let’s talk! and more! Exploratorium

  20. Exploratorium Want More? • To Learn More and Get Involved: • Sign up for our Newsletter • Newsletter box at http://www.liftport.com • Join our Forums • http://www.liftport.com/forums/ • Buy our new book! • Tell your friends and colleagues www.LiftPort.com Tom.Nugent@LiftPort.com

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