Space elevators are proposed structures that would transport satellites and shuttles into space without using rocket fuel by extending beyond the Earth's atmosphere. The elevator would use a ribbon made of carbon nanotubes anchored to the Earth and extending over 62,000 miles into space. Climbers attached to the ribbon would carry cargo and humans into space at 200 km/hr. Major challenges include damage from space debris and technical difficulties, but the elevator could provide low-cost space access without pollution if engineered successfully. Private companies and governments are working to develop the necessary technologies to potentially build a functioning space elevator by 2050.

1. SPACE ELEVATORS
PRESENTED BY-
SATISH KUMAR
M.TECH(2nd sem.)
IIT BHU VARANASI

2. Contents
• Introduction
• History
• Importance
• Working
• Components
• Power source
• Challenges and solution
• Advantages
• Future

3. Introduction
• Space elevators are
incredibly tall structures
that stretch beyond the
earth’s atmosphere to
transport satellites and
shuttles into outer
space without much
cost and environmental
impact of rocket
fueled launcher.

4. PAST OF SPACE ELEVATORS
1960: Artsutanov, a Russian scientist first suggests the
concept in a journal.
1999: NASA holds first workshop on space elevators
after the discovery of carbon nanotubes.
2012: Obayashi Corporation announced that by 2050 it
could build a space elevator using carbon nanotube
technology

5. Why build it ?
CURRENT
Cost of a launch is US$22,000 per kg
Huge vibrations produced and rocket
fuel and hardware required which can’t
be reused .
Air pollution due to explosion.
ELEVATOR
Cost of launch US$600 per kg.
Less vibrations produced and
less hardware required and can
be used almost every day for
space travel.
No air pollution.

6. Working

7. Continue..
• Ribbon would stretch to a small counterweight
approximately 62,000 miles (100,000 km) into
space due to rotation of earth about its own axis
• Mechanical lifters attached to the ribbon would then
climb the ribbon, carrying cargo and humans into
space using different mechanisms.

8. Continue…

9. Main Components
The Ribbon
The Anchors
The Climbers
The Power
source

10. Ribbon
• This ribbon composed of
thousands of 20-micro diameter
fibers made of carbon nanotube
in a composite matrix”.

11. Why Carbon nanotubes?
• They are at least 1000 times
stronger than steel rods of
same size.
• they are as flexible as steel.
• Light in weight(one sixth of
same size of steel ).

12. Continue…
• The Young’s modulus has been computed to be on
the order of 1.2 Terra Pascal which is 6.25 times
that of steel

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. Climbers

15. Continue…
 Climbers built with current satellite technology.
 Drive system built with DC electric motors or by
solid fuel like nuclear fuel rod.
 7-ton climbers carry 13-ton payloads.
 Climbers ascend at 200 km/hr.
 8 day trip from Earth to geosynchronous
altitude.

16. Power Source
1. Transfer the energy to the climb through wireless
energy transfer while it is climbing.
2. Store the energy in the climber before it starts –
requires an extremely high specific energy such
as nuclear energy.
3. Solar power – power compared to the weight of
panels limits the speed of climb.

17. Challenges and solutions
 Low earth orbit objects could potentially damage or
cut the cable that the space elevator is using.
 Lightning, wind, clouds: avoid through proper
anchor location selection.
 political impact of creating a space elevator(If the
space elevator’s anchor station is situated in
international waters.

18. Technical Budget
Component Cost Estimate (US$)
Launch costs to GEO 1.0B
Ribbon production 400M
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.

19. Advantages
• Low operations costs - US$250/kg to LEO,
GEO.
• Advantageous for Moon, Mars, Venus belts.
• No pollution.
• No launch vibrations.

20. Future scope
• A Japanese company, called Obayasi Corporation,
recently announced that they will make fully working
space elevator by the year 2050.
• Engineering development centers in the U.S., Spain
and Netherlands are under development.
• Material development efforts are underway by private
industry.

21. THANK YOU!!