The document discusses the concept of a space elevator as a revolutionary transportation system to access space. It outlines designs for the first space elevator, including using existing technologies like photovoltaics and electric propulsion for initial deployment. Challenges like radiation, debris impacts, and health hazards are addressed. Recent developments supporting space elevator feasibility include carbon nanotube production improvements and space elevator games demonstrating climbing payloads. International cooperation is growing to coordinate space elevator research and development efforts.

1. The Space Elevator
… 2009 and beyond
Dr. Brad Edwards
Markus Klettner
EuroSpaceward A.s.b.l. Luxembourg

2. The SE in Literature
• Artsutanov, Y. 1960. V Kosmos na
Elektrovoze, Komsomolskaya Pravda,
(contents described in Lvov 1967
Science 158:946).
• Isaacs, J.D., Vine, A.C., Bradner, H., and
Bachus, G.E. 1966. Satellite Elongation
into a true ‘Sky-Hook’. Science 151:682.
• Pearson, J. 1975. The Orbital tower: a
spacecraft launcher using the Earth’s
rotational energy. Acta Astronautica
2:785.
• Clarke, A.C. 1979. The Space Elevator:
‘Thought Experiment’, or Key to the
Universe. Adv. Earth Oriented Appl.
Science Techn. 1:39.

3. The Space Elevator in
Science Fiction

4. From SciFi to NASA
• Capture an asteroid and
bring into Earth orbit
• Mine the asteroid for
carbon and extrude 10m
diameter cable
• Asteroid becomes
counterweight
• Maglev transport system
• Tall tower base
• Large system
• 300 years to never...
From Smitherman, 2000

5. Comparison

6. Can we really build the
space elevator?

7. Proposed System: Overview
• First elevator: 20
ton capacity (13
ton payload)
• Constructed with
existing or near-
term technology
• 15 years and
US$10B to
construct the first
elevator
• Operating costs:
US$250/kg to any
Earth orbit, moon,
Mars, Venus,
Asteroids

8. Ribbon 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

9. Deployment Overview

10. Initial Spacecraft
• Deployment
spacecraft built with
current technology
• Photovoltaic arrays
receive power from
Earth
• An MPD electric
propulsion moves
the spacecraft up to
high Earth orbit
• Four 20-ton
components are
launched on
conventional rockets
and assembled

11. Climbers
• 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

12. Power Beaming
• Power is sent to deployment spacecraft and climbers by
laser
• Solid-state disk laser produces kWs of power and being
developed for MWatts
• Mirror is the same design as conventional astronomical
telescopes (Hobby-Eberly, Keck)

13. Anchor
• 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

14. Technical Budget
Component Cost Estimate (US$)
Launch costs to GEO 1.0B
Ribbon production 400M
Spacecraft 500M
Climbers 370M
Power beaming stations 1.5B
Anchor station 600M
Tracking facility 500M
Other 430M
Contingency (30%) 1.6B
TOTAL ~6.9B
Costs are based on operational systems or detailed engineering studies.
Additional expenses will be incurred on legal and regulatory issues. Total
construction should be around US$10B.
Recommend construction of a second system for redundancy: US$3B

15. Once built then what?

16. Challenges
• Induced Currents: milliwatts and not a problem
• Induced oscillations: 7 hour natural frequency couples
poorly with moon and sun, active damping with anchor
• Radiation: carbon fiber composites good for 1000
years in Earth orbit (LDEF)
• Atomic oxygen: <25 micron Nickel coating between 60
and 800 km (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
• LEOs: active avoidance requires movement every 14
hours on average to avoid debris down to 1 cm
• Health hazards: under investigation but initial tests
indicate minimal problem
• Damaged or severed ribbons: collatoral damage is
minimal due to mass and distribution

17. A Future with the Space Elevator
• Solar power satellites
• Solar system exploration & colonization
• Full commercialization of space (R&D,
manufacturing, tourism,…)
• Space activities dominated by private,
possibly non-US entities

18. Where are we now?

19. CNT Development
• CNT’s are getting longer
o 18mm long in bulk
o Microns needed for
composites, centimeters for
spinning
• Different methods for spinning
are coming on line
o Some have serious scale-up
issues, others don’t
• Efforts have become business
so are now closely held

20. Space Elevator Games
• Coming up on four years
• $4M in prizes
• This year major sponsors, 1 km
height, and high-power lasers (9kW)
• Possibly two CNT tethers
• Nearing the
capabilities we
need in a real
space elevator in
terms of speed,
payload ratio, etc.

21. Space Elevator Games 2009
• $900K prize won by Lasermotive: 4m/s over 1km

22. Europe
• Eurospaceward pushing the
space elevator development
• EuroSpaceward conference in
Luxenbourg: Dec. 5-6, 2009
• Cambridge University
producing spun CNT arrays
• Germany producing ultralight
PV arrays that may completely
change the climber design

23. Japan
• Japan Space Elevator Association
established.
• The Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry of Japan has the SE in their
Technology Strategic Map
• "Space Elevator - the Future as Foreseen
by Scientists" played at the 2008 G8
Science and Technology Ministers'
Meeting in Japan.
• 1st Space Elevator climber competition (JSETEC) run in 2009.

24. Space Elevator
Wiki
• Wiki developed to initiate
collaborative work on the space
elevator
• Includes:
o Baseline Elevator
o Major and minor development
issues
o Software to assist development
work
• Just finishing set-up and ready for
collaborators:
www.spaceelevatorwiki.com

25. International Space
Elevator Consortium
• ISEC was formed in August 2008 to coordinate and support
space elevator activities around the world.
• ISEC members include:
o Eurospaceward
o The Japanese Space Elevator Association
o Spaceward foundation
o Individuals from five different countries

26. Space Elevator
Technology in
Terrestrial Elevators
• As buildings grow taller the high
strength cables, climbing mechanisms
or lightweight cars of the space elevator
may be required.
• The high strength cables could become
safety lines in conventional elevators
• The power beaming techniques -
though in optical bundles - may also
find a place in new buildings of great
height

27. Summary
• The space elevator is a
revolutionary Earth-to-space
transportation system that will
enable space development
• Design, deployment and
operational scenarios for the
first space elevator have been
put together. Potential
challenges have been laid out
and solutions developed.
• The space elevator is viable in
the near future with a
reasonable investment and
development plan.