Date post: | 27-May-2015 |
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WELCOME
THE SPACE ELEVATOR…..BUILDING OUR FUTURE
PREPARED BY AMIT KUMAR SAH
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
CONTENTS
Introduction Components Extraterrestrial lifts Safety issues Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
A New Space Transportation system being developed that could make travel to geostationary earth orbit a daily event and transform the global economy .
It’s a fiction that could become reality in the near future. Its height may be around 62000 mile ( 100000 km ).
COMPONENTS
Base Station Cables Climbers Powering Climbers
BASE STATION
The base stations are classified in two categories : Stationary and Mobile Base Station.
Mobile stations are typically large oceangoing vessels.
Stationary stations are located on high altitudes such as on the top of mountains or on high towers etc.
CABLES
The cable must be made up of a material with high tensile strength or density ratio.
Carbon nanotube is the most preferred material for making the cables. A special type of carbon nanotube called colossal carbon tube which is strong and light enough may be used for making the cables .
CLIMBERS
These are mainly the robotic lifter which uses the ribbon to move in the space.
Traction tread rollers on the lifter would clamp on to the ribbon and pull the ribbon through, enabling the elevator to climb up the lifter .
POWERING CLIMBER
These are just a source of energy and power for the climber.
The energy can be transferred to the climber through various methods . Transfer the energy to the climber
through wireless energy transfer while it is climbing.
Transfer the energy to the climber through some material structure while it is climbing.
Store the energy in the climber before it starts – requires an extremely high specific energy such as nuclear energy.
Solar power – power compared to the weight of panels limits the speed of climb
EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFTS
A space elevator could also be constructed on other planets, asteroids and moon.
Could be constructed between two different planets.
ADVANTAGES
Low operations costs - US$250/kg to LEO, GEO, Moon, Mars, Venus or the asteroid belt
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
DISADVANTAGES
A space elevator may cause a navigational hazard both to aircraft and spacecraft
Impacts made by the meteoroids and micrometeorites pose a more difficult problem to the space elevator.
CONCLUSION
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.