Space Elevators Are the
Green Road to Space

Concept: As the study report is finished, the importance of the Green Road to Space aspects of the Space Elevator have become more important.  We now have to push beyond our “Space Elevator Community” even beyond the space community, and move into the Environmental community.  If we present the argument that we can provide future access to space in an environmentally neutral manner and provide massive cargo to implement Earth friendly missions — we will have succeeded in our tasking.   

Approach: DEFINE, and then spread the word, that Earth Space Elevators are the Green Road to Space while recognizing and supporting research into rockets pollution and their impact. 

Strategy: Spread the word “Dual Access Space Architecture” emphasizing Space Elevators and their “green” aspects

Objective: Expand reach by working with other people and organizations to stimulate thought on this problem 

Main Thrust: Emphasize academic (and environmental impact) studies from around the world by summarizing their conclusions and sharing our Green Road to Space report.

Mission Statement: It is the mission of the ISEC Green Road to Space Working Group to advance and promote the dual space access architecture within the broader space community. We fully support the increased use and decreasing costs of rockets to deliver humans and cargo to low-Earth orbit while moving humans through radiation rapidly. However, for space infrastructure projects dependent on large-scale hardware deployments at geosynchronous orbit and beyond, such as space-based solar power at the scale required to address climate change, space elevators become enabling; if not required, to progress. Space elevators and rockets should form the backbone for Earth-to-orbit transportation in the 21st century to advance these ambitions.

Overview: Space Elevators are Big Green Machines. They are the Green Road to Space because they enable humanity's most important missions; such as Space Solar Power to improve the Earth’s environment with electricity from space. They move massive tonnage to GEO and beyond safely, routinely, inexpensively, and daily while providing a zero-carbon footprint during operations. Their payloads are raised to destinations with electricity (vs. rocket fuel burning in the atmosphere) and they leave no residual components in orbit during operations. In addition, Space Elevators enable Earth friendly missions that cannot reasonably be accomplished with rockets: electricity from space eliminating hundreds of coal burning plants, Earth sun shade to reduce solar energy impact, and construction of massive structures at GEO, Moon and Mars.

The 18 month study looks at future missions that would be enabled by Space Elevators and reduce the threats to our atmosphere. Space Elevators will move massive tonnage to GEO and beyond, accomplishing this safely, inexpensively, daily while they are environmentally neutral. See report (or download) at: https://www.isec.org/studies/#GreenRoad