Human AchievementsCave man discovers fire

◦Long time agoFirst automobile

◦Late 1800’sFirst Airplane

◦1911Broke the sound barrier

◦1947

Space TravelFirst went into space – 1957

◦SputnikMan on the Moon – 1967

◦Saturn V 1967-1975Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle◦First Reusable launch vehicle◦$450 Million per mission launch

$22,000 per kg

Possible SolutionsRail gunsNew Shuttle

◦OrionRocket Plane

◦Spaceship OnePermanent blimp

◦Horizontal ascender Space PierSpace Elevator

SPACE ELEVATOREstimated Costs

◦$1.48 per kgTechnology already exists

◦Ground Station◦Tether◦Space Station◦Beam Source◦Climber

Elevator Components

Ground Station

Tether

Space StationClimber

Beam Source

Ground StationMobile

◦Similar to oil platformLocation?

◦Off the coast of South America/Mexico

◦EquatorFunction as an anchor for the

tether

TetherCarbon Nanotubes

◦Has 26,000 ksi tensile strength ◦Steel – 798 ksi

Space StationLarge Mass

◦Geosynchronous orbit◦Start small and send stuff up

Increasing mass

Beam SourceLaser

◦BIG To be determined by mass of climber

◦Types Chemical Solid state Gas Dye Semi-conductor

Climber100 mphCarry heavy payloads

◦Cheap $1.48 per kg

Potential ProblemsCable StrengthSpace junkMeteors Failure CascadeCorrosionMaterial DefectsWeatherVibrational harmonicsVan Allen belts (radiation exposure)

Space Elevator Movie

2008 CompetitionPower beaming options

• Laser

Ascent/tether height• 1000 m

Tether geometry• 3/16” round cable

Average ascent velocity• ≥ 5 m/s

What are we doing?Ground Station ComponentsClimbing Mechanism

Laser Control• All teams will use the TrumpF TruDisk 8002 High Powered Laser for Transmission

• Track length is 1 km

• Everything else; TBD

1. (Stage 1) Design a receiving unit enables basic feedback of laser pointer location

Tracking System

2. (Stage 2) Transmit display data wirelessly to remote PC

3. (Stage 3) Mount laser to a 2-axis gimbal assembly; Use real time data acquired by a PC to track receiving unit and correct for azimuth and pitch

Prototype• Parts

• Photo-transistors• CPLD• Laser • Components – IC’s, resistors, caps, LED’s, etc.

• Circuits (bread board)• Analog-Digital• Proto-board Layout

Mechanical ClimberSimple and adaptable

◦For competition changesRoller mechanism to climb cableHope to show it off at expo

Future Senior Design TeamsPower Converting/ReceivingLaser/optical control

◦Programming of LaserPhotovoltaic Supporting Structure

QUESTIONS???