Modern Day Space Elevator within Dual Space Access Architecture – the 8th SE Architecture

Over the years, the Space Elevator Transportation System (SETS) has matured from a bright concept in 1895, through a NASA Innovation Study, with growth to an idea that is now able to be built.??In addition, the concept has matured into one that leverages modern materials, space systems, communications strengths, and the concept of intermodal transportation transitioning from the suppliers manufacturing facilitites through the terrestrial transportation infrastructure, to the Earth Port where it is initiated into the verticle movement and finally to the orbital release location supporting it primary mission.??These refinements of the concept have resulted in an eighth complete architecture that is then joined with advanced rockets into a permanent transportation infrastructure raising massive cargo to geosynchronous orbit and beyond.??This Dual Space Access Architecture (DSAA) is a transportation strategy where the strengths of both methods of transportation are leveraged in a cooperative and complementary approach.??

The eighth SETS architecture, combined with advanced rockets, will enable the dreams of many and essentially fill the needs of humanity to move off planet and save the Earth at the same time.??David Raitt, in his article “Space Elevator Architectures,” [Quest Quarterly, History of Spaceflight, Vol. 28, #1, 2021. Pg 17-26] lays out the growth of the concept and leads the reader to understand that the permanent transportation system has developed over many years with many improvements.??This image of the Galactic Harbour displays the 8th architecture as one that leverages two Space Elevators inside a transportation infrastructure enabling massive movement of cargo in a routine, daily, safely and environmentally neutral operations.??The ocean based initial segment??is comprised of an Earth Port supporting two tether termini along with a floating operations platform.??The two tethers stretch out beyond geosynchronous orbit towards the Apex Anchor (initial concept 100,000 km altitude) where cargos would be release at a rapid pace towards their mission destinations (7.76 km/sec for as little as 14 hours to the Lunar surface or 61 days to Mars).??Tether climbers would carry cargo and release at the GEO Node facilities and then go on to the Apex Anchor for additional mission support.??In addition, the architecture includes the Headquarters and Operations Center to orchestrate the total operations for the Galactic Harbour.?

As the Galactic Harbour joins the advanced rocket infrastructure with its permanent “train like” operations, the strengths of the SETS will enable massive missions to be accomplished in a much more rapid and safe manner.??In addition, as the SETS is truly a Green Road to Space, the atmosphere will be saved as there will be no burning of rocket fuel in the upper atmosphere nor leaving of major components in low Earth orbit.??This combination of strengths of the DSAA will lead to a tremendous leveraging of both infrastructure’s strengths.??The rockets have tremendous capability to move people through radiation belts rapidly; they are operational today; and they go to any orbit from the launch locations.??These strengths are complemented by the new strengths of SETS.??They are:

·??????Strength One:??Daily, routinely, safely, inexpensively:??????????An example can be the trips to Mars when Space Elevators enable logisticians to send a 14 tonne payload daily.??This?daily release?is revolutionary as release from?an Apex Anchor can go to Mars any day?of the year on different paths, eliminating the?two + years?launch window?for?Mars and Earth?alignments?necessary?for advanced rockets.

·??????Strength Two:?Transforming the economics towards an infrastructure with access to more valuable, lucrative,?stable and reliable investments:??This economic strategy?helps?transition?the thinking?from the early century’s discussionsof rocket vs Space Elevator access to space?towards what can be enabled by??development of?permanent space infrastructures.?The?authors?stated:?????“The economic paradigm of building Space Elevators needs to shift from a focus on cost to the consumer to focusing on its value to the investor. In infrastructure, this paradigm shift is especially important because the value of infrastructure comes from a reduction in transaction costs to increase the rate of utilization and thereby enhance economic productivity.”[1]

·??????Strength Three:???????????Massive movement (Initial?Operational?Capability (IOC)?at?30,000 tonnes/yr?and Full?Operational Capability?(FOC)?170,000 tonnes/yr).??Rocket equation reality is?catastrophic when the realization dawns on the dreamer – “How much mass do I need?”??

·??????Strength Four:?High velocity (starting at 7.76 km/sec at 100,000 altitude enables rapid transits to the Moon, Mars and beyond):[2] ???????????The Apex Anchor is rotating at high rotational velocity resulting in a?linear velocity?release of 7.76 km/sec.??This speed is sufficient to reach Mars in as little as 61 days, with a range of trip durations depending on planetary orientation.??However, it?can release each day – resulting is?Logisticians?dream:??On-time delivery to Mars surface.??How about 14 hours to surface of Moon?

·??????Strength Five:?As a Green Road to Space[3] , it ensures environmentally neutral operations:??Solar energy to the tether climber motors ensures that there is no combustion within the atmosphere and no hardware left along the way in low Earth Orbit.??As such, the operations are GREEN.??In addition, this capability?ensures success within the space solar power arena by delivering massive satellites to our GEO orbit to help stop global warming.??

·??????Strength Six:???Dimension complexity reduction:??????The shake, rattle, and roll of rocket propulsion is very stressful to the designer of payloads.??Their extraordinary set of requirements inhibits the design of space payloads and restricts design flexibility.??In addition, the restrictive faring enclosing the payload for launch has design implications.??The extra volume from the Space Elevator Tether Climber and the soft ride enable far more design flexibility for customer payloads going to GEO and beyond.??

[1] ?Barry, K., Eduardo Pineda Alfaro, “Changing the Economic Paradigm for Building a Space Elevator,” 71st?International Astronautical Congress, 2021, Paris.

[2] ?Swan, P, Swan C, Fitzgerald, M., Peet, M, Torla, J, Hall, V., "Space Elevators are the Transportation Story of the 21st Century," ISEC Study Report, www.lulu.com, 2020.?

[3] ?Eddy, et.al., "Space Elevators are the Green Road to Space," ISEC Report, Lulu Publishers, April 2021