Space Elevators, the Green Road to Space

The space elevator will be a permanent transportation infrastructure with a zero-carbon footprint. Space elevators can move millions of tonnes of cargo with a beneficial environmental approach and timely delivery to multiple destinations.

This study report will show how the space elevator enables missions that cannot reasonably be accomplished with rockets and thus can help improve the human condition on Earth. Also covered are the "green missions" of space solar power, Sun-Moon L-1 solar shade and permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste. It assesses the environmental impact from development and operations of space elevators. One of the main conclusions is that the movement off-planet demands the initiation of a dual space access architecture where future rockets and space elevators are complementary.

This new movement off-planet should include the space elevator's ability to:

• depart the apex anchor at great velocity (7.76 km/sec)

• support interplanetary missions (fast transit to Mars 61 days)

• supply massive daily payloads (170,000 tonnes per year)

• create entrepreneurial enterprises at GEO and the Galactic Harbours.