The Space ElevatorThe Space Elevator

All Saints’ College of Technology

Presented By:-

Md.Zeya Karim Md.Hisabuddin Ansari

Shabbir Khan

(ME, VI sem)

What is a Space What is a Space Elevator?Elevator?

• it’s a fixed structure

• designed to

transport material from earth’s surface into space.

• its goal is to replace rocket propulsion.

The ConceptThe Concept

earth

Climber

cable

counterweight

Center of mass for the elevator

Geosynchronous orbit

The constituents of a space The constituents of a space elevatorelevator

• Base station / Anchor

• Cable• Climber• Counter weight

AnchorAnchor

Anchor station is a mobile, ocean-going platform identical to ones used in oil drilling

Anchor is located in eastern equatorial pacific, weather and mobility are primary factors

Cable : Carbon Cable : Carbon Nanotubes Nanotubes

5km continuous 1% CNT composite fiber

The cable must be made of a material with a huge tensile strength.

A tensile strength of ~65–120 GPa

– Not strong enough yet but a viable plan is in place to get there (Carbon Designs, Inc.)

Ribbon DesignRibbon Design

The final ribbon is one-meter wide and composed of parallel high-strength fibers

Interconnects maintain structure and allow the ribbon to survive small impacts

Initial, low-strength ribbon segments have been built and tested

ClimbersClimbers Climbers built with current satellite

technology

Drive system built with DC electric motors

Photovoltaic array (GaAs or Si) receives power from Earth

7-ton climbers carry 13-ton payloads

Climbers ascend at 200 km/hr

8 day trip from Earth to geosynchronous altitude

Power is sent to deployment spacecraft and climbers by laser

Solid-state disk laser produces kWs of power and being developed for MWatts

Counter WeightCounter Weight

Two dominant methods proposed –

• a heavy object like a space station

• extending the cable itself well past geosynchronous orbit

Challenges & SolutionChallenges & Solution Induced Currents: milliwatts and not a

problem

Radiation: carbon fiber composites good for 1000 years in Earth orbit (LDEF)

Environmental Impact: Ionosphere discharging not an issue

Malfunctioning climbers: up to 3000 km reel in the cable, above 2600 km send up an empty climber to retrieve the first

Lightning, wind, clouds: avoid through proper anchor location selection

Meteors: ribbon design allows for 200 year probability-based life

Health hazards: under investigation but initial tests indicate minimal problem

SE Operating BudgetSE Operating Budget

Anchor maintenance5Annual Operating Budget per year in US$M

Climbers 0.2 - 2 eachTracking system 10Anchor station 10Administration 10

Laser maintenance 20Other 30

TOTAL (50 launches) 135

This is ~US$250/kg operating costs to any destination.

AdvantagesAdvantages

Low operations costs - US$250/kg to LEO, GEO, Moon, Mars, Venus or the asteroid belts

No payload envelope restrictions

No launch vibrations

Safe access to space - no explosive propellants or dangerous launch or re-entry forces

Easily expandable to large systems or multiple systems

Easily implemented at many solar system locations

ApplicationsApplications Solar power satellites - economical, clean

power for use on Earth

Solar System Exploration - colonization and full development of the moon, Mars and Earth orbit

Telecommunications - enables extremely high performance systems

The space elevator is a revolutionary Earth-to-space transportation system that will enable space exploration

Design, deployment and operational scenarios for the first space elevator have been put together. Potential challenges have been laid out and solutions developed.

Development of the space elevator requires an investment in materials and engineering but is achievable in the near future with a reasonable investment and development plan.

ConclusionConclusion

ReferencesReferences

• Space Elevator Concept. LiftPort Group. Retrieved on 2006 March 5.

• David, Leonard (2002). The Space Elevator Comes Closer to Reality.

• The Space Elevator. Institute for Scientific Research, Inc.. Retrieved on 2006 March 5.

• Cascio, Jamais (2005). Ribbons, Sheets and the Nanofuture. Retrieved on 2006 March 5.

• Gassend, Blaise (2004). Animation of a Broken Space

Elevator

Thank youThank you