IAC Theme : “Give Space A Chance”

Follow this link to the main IAC2023 website.

The IAC Space Elevator session will be held from 3 pm local time on Tuesday October 3rd.

The IAC Session Categories are:

• Science and Exploration

• Applications and Operations

• Technology

• Infrastructure

• Space and Society

Our Space Elevator themed technical session is D4.3 “Modern Day Space Elevator Customer Design Drivers.”

Design concepts to support permanent space access infrastructures are driven from many arenas, such as the dynamics of deploying tether climbers on a 100,000 km tether stretching across the space environment from the surface of the ocean to well beyond geosynchronous orbit.

Other design drivers include environmental challenges ranging from the ocean and atmospheric demands near the Earth Port to the tremendous temperature range and environmental challenges of the vacuum of space.

In addition, architects and systems engineers must consider a vast range of requirements from customers. The demands of a million tonnes deposited on the surface of Mars (or The Moon) and the GEO requirement of 3,000,000 tonnes of space solar power satellites solidifies requirements to move massive payloads routinely, daily, inexpensively, and oriented to customers’ needs.

The dramatic need to accomplish all of this without damaging the Earth’s atmosphere means the ‘Green Road to Space’ must be realized. These customer demands will lead to the realization that Space Elevators will enable missions of vast importance to humanity (“Saving the Planet” with delivery of Space Solar Power satellites, Lunar habitat and Mars settlement support, and missions to the outer planets).

The session will discuss needs of Space Elevators’ future customers, start the refinement of design criteria and identify customer requirements necessary to initiate realistic designs.

Submitted session papers and speaker status are shown below (updated 25-Sept-2023), with 10 confirmed presentations by eight speakers from Canada, China, Japan and the UK.

Click on the image to go to the IAC website session page.

The International Space Elevator Consortium is sponsoring the International Space Development Conference reception from 6pm to 7pm local time on Saturday May 27th prior to the main awards ceremonies at the dinner engagement.

The one-hour reception will include posters and handouts from ISEC as well as a short speech. The essence of the hour will be to introduce people to the general concept and encourage discussions about Space Elevators and Galactic Harbours. Both the ISEC President (Dr Pete Swan) and Vice President (Dr Dennis Wright) will represent ISEC.

The dinner following will have major awards to:

· Dr. Eric Smith representing the James Webb Space Telescope program

· Dr. David Livingston for his successful Space Show

· Winners of the Rothblatt Competition Awards

· Grand Prize Award for the Space Settlement Contest

The 41st annual International Space Development Conference®, ISDC® 2023, hosted by the National Space Society will be held from May 25-28, 2023 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas-Frisco Hotel & Convention Center in Frisco, TX.

The theme for ISDC 2023 is A New Space.

Got to https://isdc2023.nss.org for full conference details.

The Space Elevator session will be held 1400-1745 CDT on Thursday May 25th, the focus will be : “A Dual Space Access Strategy is well along the way.”

The combining of strengths of advanced rockets and space elevators will be transformational for future mission success—rockets and space elevators cooperating and complementary. Many of the discussions will focus around a permanent transportation infrastructure moving massive cargo daily, routinely, inexpensively, safely, and environmentally friendly.

This Green Road to Space is entering engineering development and will ensure our future with improvements to the Earth’s environment, expand our reach towards the Moon and Mars, and enable projects not even thought of yet. These transformational transportation strengths will be able to raise massive payloads to GEO and beyond (30,000 tons per year at Initial Operations) enabling strategic investment, ubiquitous access, and uninterrupted exchange of resources…the staples of Space Elevators.

Join the world’s leading experts as they outline, discuss, and debate a unique approach which will revolutionize access to space.

The provisional schedule for the session is as follows :

1400 : Space Elevator Track Kickoff: ‘Dreaming of Space - Take an Elevator’, Peter Swan (ISEC)

1410 : Space in your Future, Take an Elevator, Peter Swan (ISEC)

1500 : NASA Space Settlement Contest Presentation

1520 : Elastic Driven Climber Jim Dempsey (The Cove)

1600 : Missions Enabled by a Dual Space Access Strategy, Jerry Eddy (ISEC)

1610 : Interface Between Space Elevator Climber and the Tether, Dennis Wright (ISEC)

1700 : Panel Key Questions: Logistical Mass to GEO? Material for Tether? Managing Space Debris? When and How Much? Moderator: Dennis Wright (ISEC)

The full program for ISDC2023 is below (as of 5th May 2023)

The Space Elevator event at IAC 2022 is Session D4.3 (Room E06B, 3pm-5.30pm local time) as follows :

D4 : 20th IAA SYMPOSIUM ON VISIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE

Session 3 : Modern Day Space Elevators Entering Development

Description

The term “Modern Day Space Elevator – 2021” describes how we have matured through eight Space Elevator architectures described by David Raitt in his Quest Magazine article (2021). This session will have two areas of focus:

1) Recognition of engineering successes leading to the engineering development phase. This portion of the session will focus on recent engineering activities such as:

a. tether climber – tether material interface and design considerations

b. development of a gold standard of systems dynamics

c. progress in the multi-stage approach

d. engineering considerations for the Earth Port

e. material development for the tether

2) Assessment of the customer needs for growth off planet and enhancement at Geosynchronous orbits. This portion will assess the vast capabilities of the Modern Day Space Elevator (massive movement of cargo, green road to space and permanent infrastructure) and describe how these will enable missions of VAST IMPORTANCE to humanity (saving the planet with Space Solar Power, Mars Colony, Moon Village, and missions to outer planets).

IPC members

Co-Chair: Dr. Peter Swan, International Space Elevator Consortium, US

Co-Chair: Dr. Yoji Ishikawa, Obayashi Corporation, Japan

Rapporteur: Dr. Jerry Eddy, International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC), US

Details of accepted papers can be found by following this link, summarised in the image below.

Note, on the submission deadline only 13 of the 16 listed papers were confirmed.

For more on IAC-2022 follow this link .

Note: time listed is UTC

11:00 AM US Eastern, 8:00 AM US Pacific

JOIN US for a presentation from…

If you are new to the space elevator concept, this is the webinar for you.

In this era of New Space, the space elevator could play a large role assisting the move off planet and supporting space solar power. How can Elon Musk support his plan to put 1,000,000 tons [of equipment] on Mars?

It has to be the space elevator. 

How can a large number of solar power satellites be built?

It has to be the space elevator.   

How does the space elevator work? When will it be built? How much mass can it put into space?

Join us on the 25th and find out!   

The webinar is free, but you will need to register below

Webinar Registration Form

The ISDC is the annual conference of the National Space Society bringing together NSS leaders and members with key managers, engineers, scientists, educators and business leaders from civilian, military, commercial, entrepreneurial and grassroots advocacy space sectors. Information about sponsorships, exhibiting and volunteering is available at the ISDC2022 website.

As in recent years, ISEC will host a ‘Space Elevator Track’ within ISDC2022, to be held on Friday 27th May 2022 , 2-5 pm. All ISDC attendees may join the session : follow this link to register.

The session consists of papers from the Space Elevator community and a “panel” for discussion : 

The session introduction is:

• The concept of a Dual Space Access Strategy is well along the way. The combining of strengths of advanced rockets and space elevators will be transformational as a permanent transportation infrastructure moves massive cargo daily, routinely, inexpensively, safely and environmentally friendly.

• This Green Road to Space is entering engineering development and will ensure our future will improve the Earth’s environment, expand our reach towards the Moon and Mars, and enable projects not even thought about yet.

• These transformational strengths will be able to raise massive payloads to GEO and beyond (30,000 tonnes per year at Initial Operations) enabling strategic investment, ubiquitous access, and uninterrupted exchange of resources… the staples of Space Elevators.

• Join the world’s leading experts as they outline, discuss, and debate the best approaches to this exciting technology that will revolutionize access to space.

The full ISDC schedule is below :

PLEASE NOTE: The time shown to the left is in UTC.

The webinar will be held at 8:00AM PT / 11:00AM ET / 5:00 PM UTC

Is there a question about space elevators you've always wanted to ask ? For example :
- How do they work - really?
- Why are you doing things that way?
- What are your plans for space elevators?
- How much does it cost?

Your questions will be answered at this Webinar on April 30th 2022.

You can submit your questions from now until April 15th, via email to membership@isec.org.

A panel of ISEC experts will choose among your questions and answer them in this 1.5 hour webinar. All space elevator related topics are on the table.

NOTE : you must be an ISEC member to submit a question or attend the event, but becoming a member is simple … follow this link .

Hosted by : Karyn Gleeson

You do not need to register for the event, all members will be invited.

Time shown is UTC

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Larry Bartoszek, Mechanical Engineer and ISEC Chair for Design, who will discuss the space elevator climber, from basic principles to detailed design. Larry is part of the current ISEC study on the climber/tether interface and has developed a reference climber design using state of the art components. He will cover the current design status, the challenges and the possibility of using near-future technologies.

Hosted by Karyn Gleeson, ISEC Chair for On-Line Events.

The webinar is free, but you will need to register.

Webinar Registration Form

This is a British Interplanetary Society event at BIS HQ in London, or online : times are BST.

Peter Swan (ISEC President) and Jerry Eddy (ISEC Secretary) will talk about advances that are enabling the engineering behind space elevators to become a reality:

The term “A Modern Day Space Elevator – 2021” has surfaced as we have matured through the eight Space Elevator architectures described by David Raitt in his Quest Magazine article (2021).  As the name implies, the Modern Day Space Elevator has evolved from a dream to a scientific reality as we can move into the second phase of development (Engineering Development).  This change in maturity occurred as the limiting factor of the past has been overcome.  The latest information on tether material is that Single Crystal Graphene (new material with 2D characteristics) has been shown to be strong enough and can be manufactured long enough.   Mr. Adrian Nixon (on our Board and a major player in the development of 2D materials) believes the material will “be ready in time for Space Elevator development.”  Along with the 12 ISEC study reports, 2 IAA reports and a Obayashi report, the baseline for the development of Space Elevators can be defined with processes outlined in how to proceed into this mega-project.  The four major thrusts for the present Modern Day Space Elevator focus on the following statements:

• Space Elevators are ready to enter Engineering Development

• Space Elevators are the Green Road to Space

• Space Elevators can join advanced rockets inside a Dual Space Access Architecture Strategy

• Space Elevator’s major strength as a permanent transportation infrastructure is movement of massive cargo to GEO and beyond

For registration and more details follow this link .

Time shown above/left is UTC, see below for your local time.

Webinar Leader : Dr Dennis Wright, ISEC Vice-President

As a benefit to our active members and as a way to maintain the social and professional contacts which usually take place at our Seattle conference, we are holding a second members-only online workshop.

This meeting will consist of talks, updates and more.

Provisional Agenda :

• Greetings and Introduction - Karyn Gleeson

• Status of ISEC - Pete Swan

• Economic Impact Analysis of SEs - Kevin Barry & Eduardo Pineda

• Interplanetary Launches using SE - John Knapman

• Tether Stresses and the Atmosphere Problem - Peter Robinson

• Global Space Train - Paul Phister

• Update on the Tether-Climber Interface Study - Dennis Wright

• Dual Space Architecture - Pete Swan

At the end of the meeting we will have an open-mic session of unstructured discussion so you can renew old contacts, make new ones, or talk about anything that comes to mind.

This is only for ISEC members

If you are not a member and want to participate, you still have plenty of time to join :

go to https://www.isec.org/membership and sign up.

This is not the same as registering for our newsletter.

Members will receive joining instructions by email just before the event date.

Time shown is UTC

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Dual Space Access Architecture - Rockets and Space Elevators

presented by ISEC president Dr. Pete Swan.

The future dreams and visions of so many around the world are expecting massive movement of cargo to support development.

• 1,000,000 tonnes to Mars (Mr. Musk’s statement)

• 3,500,000 tonnes to GEO for Space Solar Power (Chapter 3, Space Elevators Green Road to Space)

• 10,500,000 tonnes to L-5 for rotating colony

• … and so many more.
  

Each of these would be a Herculean task at 20 tonnes per rocket launch to GEO and beyond (2% of launch pad mass). The concept is that the Dual Space Access strategy leverages the strengths of both and enables the dreams of many to come true.

Register below.

Webinar Registration Form

Blue Marble Week’ is a series of events created by our partner Foundation For The Future to accelerate US cisLunar space infrastructure development.

Day 1 of the next session will be co-hosted by ISEC and will focus on the Earth Space Elevator.
Speakers include ISEC President Peter Swan, Ph.D and members Michael Fitzgerald , Jerry Eddy, David Dotson, Adrian Nixon , Dennis Wright and Vern Hall.

Follow this link to the Blue Marble website.

Follow this link for registration.

Provisional agenda below … times are EST.

Time shown is UTC

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A discussion of the prospect of convergence between improvements in materials technology and advances in the construction and operation of dynamically supported structures. This work aims to reduce the strength requirement of the tether material and so bring forward the day when humanity can build a space elevator.

Webinar Registration Form

Time shown is UTC : click this link and enter your location/time zone to see the start time in your location.

This is a World Space Week Event

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Dr Pete Swan, ISEC President and renowned space professional, will discuss how space elevators will support the expansion of humanity to Mars and beyond.

Getting to orbit is extremely difficult in both energy and design complexity. Historically, we have been restricted as to what we can take to the mission destination : now that humans have decided to go to the Moon and then on to Mars in an international and government/commercial effort of great magnitude, it is wise to expand our vision.

It would seem that the establishment of a more permanent infrastructure with reusable rockets and permanent space elevators must be developed. This webinar will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this combined architecture. Expanding the space access architecture concept to include space elevators will enable a robust movement off-planet.

Webinar Registration Form

Time : 1600-1800 UTC : click this link and enter your location/time zone to see your local start time.

As a benefit to our active members and as a way to maintain the social and professional contacts which usually take place at our Seattle conference, we are inaugurating a members-only online workshop.

This two-hour meeting will consist of talks, updates and our famous brain-storming session, this year focusing on the space elevator climber-tether interface. At the end of the meeting we will have an open-mic session of unstructured discussion so you can renew old contacts, make new ones, or talk about anything that comes to mind.

 Also included will be study presentations from our 2020 interns.

This is only for ISEC members.  If you are not a member and want to participate, you still have plenty of time to join : just go to https://www.isec.org/membership and sign up. This is not the same as registering for our newsletter.

Members will receive joining instructions by email just before the event date.

Time : 1330-1430 UTC : click this link and enter your location/time zone to see your local start time.

STUDENTS : our India team, in association with NSS(USA)-Mumbai India, is hosting a special Space Elevator webinar on the Gandhi Jayanti holiday, 2nd October 2020 at 7pm IST (1330 UTC).

The Guest Speaker will be Dr Pete Swan from Arizona, USA, President of ISEC and renowned space professional : he will introduce the basics of the Space Elevator concept and describe how it will work alongside existing launch systems. 

The lecture will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this expanded architecture, enabling a robust movement off-planet.

Follow this link for registration : joining details (via Zoom) will be emailed to you before the event.

Any student worldwide may attend.

If you’re not a student, or if you already know the basics, then Dr Swan will also be presenting on October 10th at 1400 UTC, speaking on “Appropriate Space Access Architecture for Mars” at the ISEC #WSW2020 Webinar.  For details of this later event go to https://www.isec.org/events/webinar-october-10-architecture-for-mars  

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Michael (Fitzer) Fitzgerald, ISEC Chief Architect, is responsible for the "grand plan" for space elevator development, from concept to full operation.

Larger in scope than even a system of systems, the plan has progressive segments which guide project chiefs in the development of their respective systems, yet it is flexible enough to allow the inevitable changes brought about by new ideas and advances in technology.

For those of us used to working on projects of smaller scope, this talk will likely re-adjust your thinking.  Hence, there will be ample time for questions after the talk

Webinar Registration Form

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Dennis Wright, ISEC Vice President and nuclear and high energy physicist formerly with the Stanford Linear Accelerator, will discuss the physics of space elevators, their motions, their stability and the effects of their physical environment.

The webinar has ended. You can view the recording on our recorded webinars page.

Time shown is UTC

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Adrian Nixon, Founding Editor of the Nixene Journal and affiliate member of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) in Manchester UK, will discuss the latest developments in single crystal graphene, a leading candidate for the space elevator tether material. His talk will also discuss ways to bring this material from the laboratory to industrial-scale production.

A recording of this webinar and the presentation material can be found on our ‘Recorded Webinars’ page, follow this link .

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This PPT presentation was previously given by Peter Robinson (ISEC Lead Engineer, Climbers) at the August 2019 ISEC conference in Seattle. This repeat showing via Zoom is hosted by the West Midlands branch of the British Interplanetary Society (BIS) at 2pm BST on May 16th, accompanied by a pre-recorded audio commentary. Peter will be on-line for Q&A at the end.

The paper covers the essential and secondary functional requirements for Climbers using friction drive and magnetic drive options, and describes the benefits of small modular drive units.  It then describes other design considerations such as Centre of Gravity, Steering and ‘Descender’ climbers.

Follow this link for more details.