Space Elevators and
Dual Space Access Architecture (DSAA) 

Introduction:  Within recent research, some powerful conclusions surfaced.  One of the biggest is that Space Elevators stand up strong next to rockets and help enable movement off-planet.  This is broken down into two components – Space Elevators are Space Access Permanent Infrastructures; and, Space Elevators are the Green Road to Space inside a Dual Space Access Architecture.  A good way to express this team arrangement could be:

Rockets to Open up the Moon and Mars with
Space Elevators to supply and grow the settlements

This page discusses the following topics and leads to an ongoing study on the last item:

• Permanent Space Access infrastructure

• Dual Space Access Architecture

• On-going Study entitled Dual Space Access Architecture

Approach:  When we look at the Moon and dream of spaceflight, we forget how extremely difficult it was to accomplish - both in energy and design complexity.  Tsiolkovsky's rocket equation consumes so much mass to achieve orbit that, historically, we have been restricted as to how much we can deliver.  Now that we have decided to go to the Moon and on to Mars in a combined international, government, and commercial effort of great magnitude, we need to expand our vision of 'how to.'  It would seem that the establishment of a more robust infrastructure with reusable rockets and permanent Space Elevators must be developed.  ISEC will develop and present the strengths and weaknesses of these two major components of a combined architecture with the purpose of placing mission equipment and people where they need to go and when they need to be there.  The multiplicity of destinations, complexity of orbits, magnitude of each transition to orbit, and infrequent launches currently means the difficulty of fulfilling the dreams of the many is a monumental "reach."  Expanding space access architectures to include Space Elevators will enable a robust movement off-planet.  The essence of this concept is the two methods of achieving spaceflight are complementary and compatible rather than competitive.

Definition of a Permanent Space Infrastructure:  From a historical transportation perspective, canals, channels and deep-water ports are infrastructure while the ships are vehicles.  Likewise, interstate highways, bridges, and trans-continental rail systems are the infrastructure for ground transportation while trucks and trains are the vehicles that use it.  International airports and related facilities are infrastructure for air travel while planes are their vehicles. From this perspective, rockets, no matter how large and reusable they may become in the future, will always be vehicles - not a permanent space infrastructure. 

Space Elevators use climbers as the vehicles while tethers, Earth Port with several termini and operational platforms, GEO construction repair garages/stations, and Apex Anchors logistic centers are the permanent, reliable space infrastructure. This permanent transportation infrastructure defines the future space superhighway’s main green road to space with collaborating and complementary permanent infrastructure such as a space station in low Earth orbit.   Visions for a permanent space infrastructure shows a total of six space elevators distributed within three Galactic Harbours (two Space Elevators each).  Each has one space elevator for up and one for down (which also acts as principle and backup).  In addition, as the climbers are raised by electricity, the system will become the Green Road to Space ensuring that lifting payloads to GEO and beyond will not impact the fragile environment while enabling massive cargo such one million tonnes to Mars. 

The economics of a permanent space access infrastructure was addressed by two authors at the International Astronautical Congress IAC-21. 

“This paper analyzes the economics of Space Elevators as infrastructure and a platform, utilizing relevant historical examples, such as the standardization of shipping containers, the transcontinental railroad, and the Panama Canal to explore its economic value and developmental impact. Infrastructure, at its core, provides value through the reduction of transaction costs. Therefore, trying to close a business case for infrastructure by charging high transaction costs is a doomed venture. However, expanding the picture to view the impact on the economy from increased access to value and more efficient markets through lower transaction costs and infrastructure becomes a very lucrative, stable, and reliable investment. Cost per kilogram is the language of rockets -- strategic investment, ubiquitous access, and uninterrupted exchange of resources are the staples of Space Elevators.” [Barry, K, Alfaro, E.P., “Changing the Economic Paradigm for Building a Space Elevator,” 72nd International Astronautical Congress, 2021]

See also the paper from the 2022 International Astronautical Congress IAC-22: Eddy, Jerry, “Dual Space Access: Evolutionary Step Towards Humankind’s Movement Off-Planet.” (paper) - (slides).

This new economic “value proposition” approach towards development and operations leads to the recognition of the tremendous empowering characteristics that dominate their statement:  we must build space elevators as soon as possible. The time is NOW. 

Dual Space Access Architecture:  Ongoing investigations realized the combined strengths reached across the strengths of rocket launches along with their difficulties; and the strengths and weaknesses of Space Elevators enhanced access to space.  It recognized there are four principle strengths of rockets: 1) rockets are successful today and great strides are forecast for the future, 2) reaching any orbit, 3) rapid movement through radiation belts for people enables flights to the Moon and Mars, and 4) rockets are excellent at rendezvousing and landing at destinations. The strengths of a permanent infrastructure with daily, routine, environmentally friendly and inexpensive attributes come with Space Elevators. These strengths will be compared to the difficulties of executing a Space Elevator developmental program. Initial Space Elevators will not be ready for initial human migration off-planet.  However, once settlements are established on the Moon and Mars using rockets, Space Elevators will enable their robust growth by moving massive amounts of cargo.  The ability to be the logistics center for support to these missions is vital. 

Visionaries:  Our hopes for movement off-planet are rising as we listen to visionaries such as Jim Bridenstine, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk with their massive rockets designed to accomplish amazing things.  Who could have imagined, just five years ago, that a company could launch a preliminary version of a StarShip rocket able to take 100 people and 100 metric tonnes to Mars?  Who would have imagined just three years ago that there would be a "Blue Moon" lander competing commercially to place people on the surface of the Moon near the south pole with its frozen water supplies?  Who would have believed that NASA's goal would be for a 2024 landing of the most diverse crew ever on the Moon?

But hold on - these visionaries have been matched with Space Elevator innovators showing a future capability to go to geosynchronous and beyond with electricity; thus, defeating the rocket equation that demands the consumption of huge masses of fuel that pollute our atmosphere. Space Elevators are closer than you think; and, they are ready for major segment engineering development leading to validation testing.  The concept is so enticing that it allows us to envision a mature Space Elevator infrastructure with six tethers able to release over 170,000 tonnes per year towards the Moon and Mars (as well as placing satellites at the GEO altitude).  

ISEC 2022 Study - Dual Space Access Architecture:  Can you imagine a time when climate is under control on Earth and people are living on the Moon and Mars?  This can happen in the near term if we build the green road to space.  No pollution, massive movement off planet and Space Solar Power providing cheap electrical energy across the globe – all while raising millions of tonnes off planet using solar power.  In addition, a Dual Space Access Architecture (DSAA) will leverage the strengths of both Advanced Rockets and Space Elevator’s permanent transportation infrastructure. The International Space Elevator Consortium is initiating its 14th 18-month study to investigate this dual space access concept; and, we’re looking for study volunteers.  It will show how Space Elevators will enable movement off-planet with a greener and more efficient approach.  DSAA will enable numerous space activities that will better life on Earth for all people; making Earth greener, cooler and allowing continued growth and prosperity.  Dual Space Access strategy will leverage the strengths of both rockets and space elevators – enabling so many dreams.

The study will refine, in detail, how a dual space access strategy leverages the strengths of advanced rockets and space elevators using a multiple case study methodology. These case studies may include some of the following: Space Based Solar Power, Colonization of Mars, Lunar Village, L-5 Colony, High Level Nuclear Waste Disposal, Asteroid Mining, Earth protection,  Sun-Shades, Planetary Defense, and future scientific space endeavors. These will be evaluated to see how the dual space access concept, with the remarkable strengths of space elevators – massive movement on a Green Road – will enable seemingly impossible missions while making them much easier and cheaper to accomplish.  The goal of the study is to show how a dual space access idea enables numerous space activities that will better life on Earth for all people – making Earth greener, cooler and allowing continued growth and prosperity, both on and off Earth.

If you would like to participate, please volunteer through info@isec.org. To understand the depth of our studies, please review them on our website under studies [free pdfs of course].