Editor's Note

Dear Fellow Space Elevator Enthusiast,

An ISEC member named Alejandro Forero, a Business Administration graduate with a keen interest in Space Elevators, submitted a video for review to ISEC.

This is a great example of how the community works together to generate new ideas and ideate on existing ones. While the ideas presented here do not have final engineering endorsement, as there are a great number of things to take into consideration not addressed here, we do want to applaud the enthusiasm and ingenuity needed to bring a very nice visualization of what the construction processes could look like.

“Primal Space Elevator” https://youtu.be/14TbjglsA8o

Mr. Forero would like you to know that while the power source mentioned at 10:50 is a nuclear battery, he has since changed his mind due to weight concerns, but has not yet changed the video. One more example of how we are all working to together to bring the Space Elevator from a dream of someday to a reality that is truly closer than you think.

Sandee Schaeffer
Newsletter Editor

President's Corner

by Pete Swan

Gestation of Ideas

It is important to recognize that to make progress inside a mega-project, such as Space Elevators, first steps first! I recently ran across some definitions of the gestation of mega-projects, which are informative and can help us understand where we are. But first, a grammar lesson: gestation comes from the Latin gestare, which means "to bear, or give birth to."1 When one looks at our situation, the term gestation applies to our creative processes to define a permanent space infrastructure. This process includes three stages:2 

  1. Idea Generation: ideation or the discovery and development of ideas for potential new businesses

  2. Incubation: new ideas are validated

  3. Scaling: where existing assets and capabilities are reallocated to help the new venture grow

Idea Generation

ISEC’s plan has been to develop a body of knowledge for space elevators so that the concept could be developed. The initial years of this century were focusing on the question—can we build it? The answer from Dr. Edwards (and his team) was yes, we can, and should go forward with space elevators because they have tremendous strengths. His focus was to show the phenomenally low cost for lifting payloads to orbit. He showed this and started the efforts that followed. The next phase was the creation of international organizations to pursue the development of ideas for space elevators. Several organizations surfaced in Europe, Japan, and the US with the International Space Elevator Consortium becoming the most active and longest lived. The yearly conferences and 18-month studies (one per year or more) were able to focus teams towards answering individual questions of importance to the overall program. By the turn of 2020, ISEC and its participants had answered many questions and created even more new ones that will greatly assist the construction of space elevators. If we look at the term gestation, we can see how the last 20 years has fulfilled the need across the Ideation stage.

Incubation

This stage is important because it translates potential ideas into concepts that can be validated and shared across the business-related side of infrastructure development. Not only has the International Academy of Astronautics conducted Preliminary Technological Assessments, but they developed a concept for the “Road to the Space Elevator Era.” This coupled with remarkable laboratory testing and development of tether material (Graphene Super Laminate) shows the new ideas are very close to being fully validated and ready for the initiation of this mega-project. A major achievement in this stage is the consolidation of the remarkable characteristics of space elevators that enable phenomenal missions. This insightful presentation of the Space Elevator Perspective (as of 2023) has shown that only space elevators can achieve many missions that are being discussed today and need to be achieved to enable humanity’s move off planet and to help save it. An example of this advanced conceptualization of future space elevators is the realization that they will be permanent space access transportation infrastructures and cannot be matched by advanced rockets—daily, routine, massive movement of logistics, safe, very inexpensive, storage/assembly above the gravity well, and environmentally friendly. (See Space Elevator Perspectives part 1 in the February newsletter, part 2 in this newsletter, and part 3 to be published in the upcoming April newsletter.)

Scaling

This third stage of gestation is critical as it translates into the business arena with support and encouragement. This stage is where space elevators are today. We realize Space Elevators, as the Green Road to Space, trump advanced rockets for massive logistics support as they are still limited by the rocket equation—even with reusability. Now that we have explained the development of the main idea of a permanent space access infrastructure, we must internalize and reinforce our efforts across the space transportation arena with respect to developing the business. Luckily, we have a great start towards this thrust with a paper by Kevin Barry and Eduardo Pineda Alfaro entitled: “Changing the Economic Paradigm for Building a Space Elevator.”3 Their thrust was explained as, “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.”

As one can see by looking at the gestation terminology:

  • We have accomplished ideation over the last 23 years

  • We have moved through the incubation phase and established early validation activities

  • We are now in the Scaling Stage where we need to move aggressively, in parallel with technological maturation, to the presentation of viable business plans. This also demands we establish and emphasize the remarkable characteristics of permanent space transportation infrastructures

References:

1. Gestation - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com
https://www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › gestation

2. Charles O’Reilly1 and Andrew J. M. Binns2 California Management Review 2019, Vol. 61(3) 49–71

3. Barry, K, E Pineda Alfaro, “Changing the Economic Paradigm for Building a Space Elevator,” 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 25-29 October 2021.

Pete

Space Elevator Conference Announcement

The International Space Elevator
Conference is BACK in person!

Join us at the 2023 Space Elevator Conference (SEC) taking place Saturday, August 12th through Sunday, August 13th, 2023 in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA. The theme is, “Permanent Space Access Transportation Infrastructure.”

Registration, Paper Submissions, and details to follow

The website link will have all the latest information:

https://www.isec.org/events/isec2023

Perspective of Space Elevators—2023

Last month, Space Elevator Perspective I: “Humanity Demands Space Elevators, NOW” was published as part one of a three-part series. This month’s Perspective will look at the Galactic Harbour, the Modern Day Space Elevator and their Transformational Characteristics. Be sure to follow up with Part 3 next month!

Space Elevator Perspective II

1.View of Future Galactic Harbours: The future of Space Elevators will grow through a Galactic Harbour architecture approach. A Galactic Harbour is the combination of Space Elevator Transportation Systems and Space Elevator Enterprise Systems; businesses will be attracted by permanent infrastructures. Galactic Harbours will be the volume encompassing an Earth Port while stretching up in a cylindrical shape to include two Space Elevator tethers outwards beyond Apex Anchors. The estimate is for three Galactic Harbours to be deployed during the developmental phase between 2035 and 2043.

three Galactic Garbours

2. Modern Day Space Elevator: This term has surfaced as the Space Elevator has matured through 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 that can move us into the second phase of development (Engineering Development). This change in maturity occurred as the limiting factor of the tether material has been identified and seems to be overcome. The latest idea for tether material is Single Crystal Graphene which has been shown to be strong enough and can be manufactured long enough. The five major thrusts for the development of Modern Day Space Elevators 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

  • Space Elevators’ major strength as a permanent transportation infrastructure is its ability to move massive cargo to GEO and beyond daily, safely, inexpensively and accomplish this while being environmentally neutral.

  • Space Elevators inherently have the economic strengths of strategic investment, ubiquitous access, and uninterrupted exchange of resources between the Earth’s surface through the GEO region toward CisLunar and Mars.

  • Space Elevators, as transportation core, attract and logistically support future enterprises.

Space Elevator Perspective graphic

3. Transformational Characteristics: The transformation of space access created by space elevator operations will be similar to moving from small boats crossing a large river to a permanent infrastructure such as a bridge moving traffic daily, routinely, safely, inexpensively, and with little environmental impact. The permanent transportation infrastructures of space elevators will enable missions by leveraging their strengths:

  • Daily, routine, safe, and inexpensive

  • Transforming the economics towards an infrastructure with access to more valuable, lucrative, stable, and reliable investments.

  • Massive movement (Initial Operational Capability (IOC) at 30,000 tonnes/yr with Full Operational Capability 170,000 tonnes/yr), [Swan, 2020]

  • High velocity (release velocity of 7.76 km/sec at 100,000 altitude enables rapid transits to the Moon, Mars and beyond)

  • As a Green Road to Space, it ensures environmentally neutral operations

  • Reduction of Rocket Fairing Design limitations

  • Assembly at the Top of the Gravity Well enables large space systems to be released with velocity sufficient to go beyond Mars without thrust. This still needs rocket motors to adapt trajectories and land at destination, which are incorporated at the top of the gravity well.

Pete Swan

ISEC 2022 Mid-Year Interns Complete their Research

Each year, ISEC sponsors a few students (normally two) in their third or fourth years of university to participate in space elevator research. This year, the researchers investigated new arenas within the advancing Space Elevator knowledge base. The focus supported the theme that Space Elevators have transformational characteristics and will revolutionize the movement off planet. The two summer interns and their paper titles are:

Khushi Shah

Khushi Shah, a mechanical engineering student based in Mumbai, India. Khushi is on the Space Generation Advisory Council and co-lead for the “Domi Inter Astra Moonbase team.” Her paper was entitled, “Apex Anchor: A Multi-Mission Developmental Program.”

Divyanshi Gupta

Divyanshi Gupta, an astrophysics student at the University of Edinburgh. Divyanshi is also the team lead for careers and marketing teams in UK SEDS while supporting the National Student Space Conference in 2022. Her paper was entitled, “Humans on Space Elevator Transport System.”

Tether Materials

by Adrian Nixon, Board Member, ISEC

Sliding of Layers
in Graphene Super Laminate

In the previous newsletter we explored the friction of a tether made from many layers of single crystal graphene that we term Graphene Super Laminate (GSL)[1]. GSL has yet to be made at scale. Regular readers, however, will know that graphene is routinely manufactured and is the subject of laboratory testing. Our study of the literature has shown that graphene is a substance that occupies the border between high friction (frictant) and low friction (lubricant) materials.

Friction is important because the current best design for the climber relies on opposing wheels that grip the tether. You will know from the previous newsletter that our current view is that the peer reviewed literature point towards values for friction that are towards the higher end of the range [2]. This means that the tether will be climbable using current engineering designs.

All good so far, then my colleague Larry Bartoszek noticed something in one of the experiments conducted by researchers at the Tandon School of Engineering, New York University [3]. The researchers were testing the response of multi-layered graphene and the found that the higher the shear modulus (the ability of the tether material to transfer the load of the climber from the outermost layers to inner layers), the lower the coefficient of friction. This means that as the tether is gripped, the layers slide over one another. This is hardly an ideal response from a material. So, what is causing this and how might we solve this problem?

In Graphene Super Laminate, the individual layers are incredibly strong in the x/y direction with an ultimate tensile strength of 130 GPa. The graphene layers are stacked in the z direction and held together with the van der Waals force. This is an electrostatic attraction between the positively charged protons in the nuclei of the carbon atoms in one layer of graphene and the negatively charged electrons in an adjacent graphene layer.

Van der Waals bonding

The van der Waals force holds the graphene layers together without the need for glue. The individual attractive forces are quite weak when compared with the covalent bonds between carbon atoms within the graphene layers. However, graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) material and as such is all surface area, so the small forces multiply and keep the graphene super laminate a coherent structure.

The van der Waals force is less resistant to shear forces. Because it is an electrostatic rather than covalent bond there is less strength when subjected to sideways movement. This means layers in graphene super laminate can slide over one another.

sliding of graphene layers

The resistance to sliding is called the interlayer shear strength and has been measured as 0.14 GPa [4].  

So, we now know that a tether made from graphene super laminate is very strong within the layers, but the layers will slide over one another when gripped by a climber because the electrostatic van der Waals forces are not as strong as the covalent bonds within the graphene.

This gives us a clue how we can solve the interlayer slipping problem. The key is to form covalent bonds between the graphene layers. We know that graphene layers can be crosslinked forming localised areas of diamond, we called this “spot welding”.

We detailed how the spot welding between the layers can be made in a previous ISEC newsletter entry [5]. 

Stick-and-ball model of “spot-welded” multilayer graphene

Stick-and-ball model of “spot-welded” multilayer graphene. The sp3 hybrid bonds are shown in the centre, between two layers of graphene.

This spot-welding will solve the layer slipping problem and could also help solve other problems associated with deploying a tether. That, however, is another story that we will explore in a future newsletter.

References:

1. Nixon, A. (2022). 2022 August International Space Elevator Consortium Newsletter. [online] International Space Elevator Consortium. Available at: https://www.isec.org/space-elevator-newsletter-2022-august/#tether [Accessed 23 Jan. 2023].

2. Nixon, A. (2023). 2023 February International Space Elevator Consortium Newsletter. [online] International Space Elevator Consortium. Available at: https://www.isec.org/space-elevator-newsletter-2023-february/#tether [Accessed 21 Feb. 2023].

3. Rejhon, M., Lavini, F., Khosravi, A., Shestopalov, M., Kunc, J., Tosatti, E. and Riedo, E. (2022). Relation between interfacial shear and friction force in 2D materials. Nature Nanotechnology. doi:10.1038/s41565-022-01237-7.

4. Liu, Z., Zhang, S.-M., Yang, J.-R., Liu, J.Z., Yang, Y.-L. and Zheng, Q.-S. (2012). Interlayer shear strength of single crystalline graphite. Acta Mechanica Sinica, 28(4), pp.978–982. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-012-0137-0

5. Nixon, A. (2022). 2022 September International Space Elevator Consortium Newsletter. [online] International Space Elevator Consortium. Available at: https://www.isec.org/space-elevator-newsletter-2022-september/#tether [Accessed 22 Feb. 2023].

Climber/Tether Interface Study

The latest ISEC Study is now complete. Started in late 2020, the “Climber/Tether Interface of the Space Elevator” Study has taken over two years to progress to the report “preprint” stage, pending submission for peer-reviewed publication. This task was led by ISEC Vice-President Dennis Wright, with the assistance of an eventual list of nine co-authors.

An abridged version of the Study Report Preface is as follows :

“At the inception of this study in 2020, recent advances in strong material technology made it clear that an in-depth examination of the state of the art of such materials would be useful. Enough was becoming known that the physical conditions at the interface between the space elevator climber and tether could be identified...the study evolved into a multi-disciplinary effort, ranging from atomic physics and chemistry to aerospace and mechanical engineering to orbital mechanics.

“The goals of the study were to identify the physical conditions that must be met in order to allow climbing, to set forth the current state of the art in tether materials, to demonstrate by conceptual design that a payload-carrying climber could be built with today’s technology and to outline the research necessary for future development.

“It is hoped that the results of this study will convince the reader that advances in strong material development and climber design have brought the space elevator much nearer to reality.”

The preprint Study Report has been loaded to our Zotero library and so is available for ISEC members to read. If you're not a member, join now ! Or await an announcement of availability on a public preprint server or our website. Look for news of this on social media or in a future newsletter.

A Space Elevator at Kennedy Space Center?

It appears that during the SpaceX refurbishment of the historic launch site at KSC Pad LC-39A the "Fixed Service Structure" (FSS) tower elevator control panel was renewed. The intermediate buttons were still labelled with the floor height in feet, but the lower floor became "Earth" and the top floor, for crew capsule access, became "Space."

SpaceX published a photo of the new panel on Twitter, and this was re-posted by Elon Musk with the words “Space Elevator.”

With thanks to ISEC member Prathmesh Barapatre for the subsequent tag. We at ISEC had to act further, so we responded to Mr. Musk as below...

We haven't had a reply yet, we'll just have to build that footbridge first and let that sink in.

Also, the astute will notice that we really liked the top button on the LC-39A elevator panel, so we're using it as the logo of our conference this year!

This is what the original panel looked like in this tweet with a historical photo:

Architecture Note #40

by Michael A. Fitzgerald
Senior Exec VP and Co-Founder
Galactic Harbour Associates, Inc
Space Elevator Transportation & Enterprise Systems

The Space Elevator Transportation System Enables Many Space-based Missions

Personal Prolog

This is an Architecture Note. It is the opinion of the Chief Architect. It represents an effort to document ongoing science and engineering discussions. It is one of many to be published over time. Most importantly, it is a sincere effort to be the diary, or the chronicle, of the multitude of our technical considerations as we progress along the pathway developing the Space Elevator.

Many of the missions summarized in this paper have been openly discussed at the recent International Astronautics Congress in Paris and at the Global Moon Village Workshop in Los Angeles. In those events, the baseline Space Elevator Transportation System (SETS) was cited as the starting point for many new missions that need to be created. In Architecture Note #41, the SETS Regions (Apex Anchor, GEO Region, and the Earth Port) are the transportation hubs around which the new Space Architecture will be developed.

Michael A. Fitzgerald

The Modern-Day Space Elevator has evolved from a dream to a definable engineering reality and has moved into the second phase of development (Engineering Validation). An essential element of the discussion about being ready and being needed includes the economic investment and growth matching the planet’s needs. Strategic investment in the economic potential of the Space Infrastructure is essential for humankind. The Space Infrastructure must offer safe and reliable access to space by the Space Elevator.

Some of the new missions are less obvious than the grand efforts frequently mentioned. We have made a distinct effort to examine other missions; less obvious perhaps, but essential, nonetheless. It touches us all and our entire future.

The Modern-Day Space Elevator is proposed as part of everything discussed in the last few years, because it transforms the approach for development and operations. Space-based Solar Power will be developed; nuclear waste products will be sent off to the Sun; cargo of all sorts will be delivered to GEO, headed to enterprises in the Regions. The cargo will be hustled around these orbital Regions by tugs of all sizes, and large cargo craft destined to various stops within the solar system will be assembled at GEO and/or the Apex Anchor. It is a remarkable story, and the full texture of that story is recognized by some other missions borne of the Space Elevator. This Galactic Harbour image reflects the active communities to be developed at the Earth Port, the GEO Region, and the Apex Anchor.

Missions Enabled by Galactic Harbours: We can initiate the development of space elevators today! The Galactic Harbours will be able to lift 170,000 tonnes to GEO per year once fully operational. This capability will fully support the envisioned Space Solar Power constellations and substantially satisfy global base electrical power needs by mid-century. The concept of mining operations on other planets and along the asteroid belt is more reasonably achievable via a network of Galactic Harbours.

The concept of Space Infrastructures has been gaining interest lately to ensure that the “big picture” is pursued. Space in general is now fully recognized as the essential venue for economic, environmental, and diplomatic progress in the 21st century. But it is no longer just an important initiative. It is mandatory, even urgent. We are burdened by this; it is our unique version of “noblesse oblige.” The burden is to build it and protect it and to do so now! It is not a Commercial Space thing, or Civil Space thing, or a Space Force thing. It is a Humankind thing. From a technical perspective, it is time to offer some motivations beyond those identified so far. These motivations come from the Galactic Harbour architectural layout.

Missions Enabled by an Operating
Space Elevator Transportation System

The Logistics Transshipment Mission: Simply stated, the Logistics Transshipment Mission manages a Galactic Harbour’s cargo delivery service—the final delivery of the cargo to customers. It starts with identification and tracking from the initial loading at a customer’s production facility; tracks it through its transportation history; stores the cargo until the enterprise customer requires the cargo; and then delivers at the customer requests at its destination.

  • The Logistics Transshipment Mission is an essential mission. It is as essential as any Amazon Fulfillment Center is essential to Amazon and to Amazon’s customers.

  • The space logistics transshipment activity is envisioned to be spread across a Galactic Harbour. It will operate as an extension of the worldwide intermodal transportation system.

  • It will be in close contact with the Earth Port’s Access City and the Operations Center on the Earth Port’s Floating Operations Platform. It also will be in collaboration/coordination with the various enterprises in the GEO Region and Apex Anchor.

  • A key point – the new situational awareness mission (see below) will be very interested in cargo arrival and its final delivery. The Logistics Transshipment Mission “knows” and will maintain positive control of all cargo delivered by the GEO Climber into the Regions.

The Rescue Mission: Prepare for, store for immediate release (in the GEO Region and the Apex Anchor) and provide emergency response times appropriate for crisis. This would include vehicles to replace damaged capsules, power to replace failed sources, oxygen (and other supplies) for critical shortages, and medical assistance as needed.

  • A Rescue capable mission center with a variety of standby unmanned “vehicles” should be established at the SETS’s Apex Anchor Flight Operations Center. It could even be christened as station 13/11, in honor of Apollo 13 and Soyuz 11.

  • The 13/11 First Responder station at the APEX Anchor would have an important and special rescue module carried by departing craft of any mass to reach problem sites on the Moon or Mars or anywhere our imagination takes us, or anywhere trouble finds us.

  • Storage of Rescue Mission components at GEO and Apex Anchor increases probability of rescue success since assembly at these two locations beats the rocket equation and enables responsive daily releases.

The (Extended) Situational Awareness Mission: This new and necessary mission envisions a Galactic Harbour operations center working closely with the Situational Awareness authorities regarding who/what is in each of the Regions (Earth Port, GEO and Apex Anchor), who/what is approaching the Regions, and keeping track of all those items—including debris and space detritus that might be wandering by and through the Regions. In addition, monitoring all of the objects inside the designated region of concern must be continuous with forecasting of motion to ensure no conjunctions, including the tether from Earth Port to Apex Anchor—a big job!

  • Objects entering or departing the Regions could be dangerous to commercial operations. Given that, the Galactic Harbour Operations Center and the other Space Operations Centers must step up and maintain thorough situational awareness of “Outer Space” within and near the GEO and APEX Anchor Regions—a new mission, indeed.

The Explore the Solar System Mission: This mission is the Transformational Release of Scientific Payloads from the Apex Anchor—any size, every day, anywhere in the Solar System. To set the stage, research at Arizona State University has one example which explains the new mission competence quite well. Traditional launches to Mars are cited as 8-month trips separated by 26-month windows. These trips to the surface of Mars deliver about 1 percent of the mass on the pad on Earth.

  • Releases towards Mars (minimum 7.76 km/sec) from the Space Elevator Apex Anchor (at 100,000 km altitude) can be made every day. In addition, the releases can send massive amounts of cargo and have a spectrum of travel times—the shortest trip is roughly 61 days. This capability embodies the idea of logistics “on time delivery.” The second operational capability is the capability to release scientific spacecraft each day towards any solar system body.

  • This suggests that we have a lot of exploring to do. It also reminds us that the Space Elevator Transportation System provides unique competencies for the young explorers of tomorrow.

  • We can begin thinking today about the Solar System. Where are the special minerals? How do we get there? And how do we get back? How do the unseen gravity forces affect our flights to and from these new discoveries? Imagine how difficult it would have been to explore the USA, if every town, every road, and every river was in constant motion. Travel in space is like that. That is the exploration challenge of the 21st century, and only daily, coordinated, flights from the APEX Anchor Flight Operations Center makes these pathfinding discovery flights affordable and repeatable.

Conclusion: There are more missions to be enabled. There are many that have not even been imagined. Some will be 100% robotic, and some will be executed by a required human expert. The Space Elevator/Galactic Harbour journey of transformation, invention, and reinvention is going to be exciting. It is our children’s century—the 21st Century. It needs infrastructure improvements brought forward to suit this century.

Epilog

In many ways, this notion of enabled missions has been coming for a decade or so. It was a journey travelled by many—some of whom are mentioned below. To all those mentioned here and to all those I have met on this journey, I offer the 21st century version of the beginning of the traditional Irish Prayer and the powerful conclusion of John Gillespie Magee’s special poem, “High Flight”:

“May the road through space rise up to meet you,

and then

Put out your hand and touch the face of God.”

Fitzer

References:

  1. Swan, P., David Raitt, John Knapman, Akira Tsuchida, Michael Fitzgerald, Yoji Ishikawa, Road to the Space Elevator Era, Virginia Edition Publishing Company, Science Deck (2019) ISBN-19: 978- 0-9913370-3-3

  2. Swan, P., Raitt, Swan, Penny, Knapman. International Academy of Astronautics Study Report, Space Elevators: An Assessment of the Technological Feasibility and the Way Forward, Virginia Edition Publishing Company, Science Deck (2013) ISBN-13: 978-2917761311

  3. Swan, Peter; Swan, Cathy; Fitzgerald, Michael; Hall, Vern; Matthew Peet; James Torla; “Space Elevators are the Transportation Story of the 21st Century” ISEC Position Paper July 2020

  4. Eddy, Jerry, Swan, Peter; Swan, Cathy; Phister, Paul; Dotson, Dave; Bernard-Cooper, Joshua; Molloy, Bert; “Space Elevators: The Green Road to Space” ISEC Position Paper April 2021

  5. Kross John F.; “Dead Space” ad Astra magazine National Space Society # 2022 -2

  6. Fitzgerald, Michael; Hall, Vern; Swan, Peter; Swan, Cathy; “Design Considerations for the Space Elevator Apex Anchor and GEO Node” ISEC Position Paper # 2017-1

  7. Fitzgerald, Michael; Swan, Peter; “Today’s Space Elevator” ISEC Position Paper # 2019-1

  8. Matthew Peet, et al. “Optimization of Low Fuel and Time Critical Interplanetary Transfers Using Space Elevator Apex Anchor Release: Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. International Astronautics Congress (IAC-18-D4.3.4) Washington, D. C. 201

Upcoming Events

International Space Development Conference
Sponsored by the National Space Society
https://isdc2023.nss.org/
Thursday, May 25th through Sunday, May 28th, 2023
Dallas-Frisco, Texas, USA
Theme: “A New Space Age”

Space Elevator Conference
Sponsored by the International Space Elevator Consortium
https://www.isec.org/events/isec2023
Saturday, August 12th through Sunday, August 13th, 2023
Downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA
Theme: “Permanent Space Access Transportation Infrastructure”

74th International Astronautical Congress
Sponsored by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF)
https://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/iac-2023/
Theme: “Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance”
Monday, October 2nd through Friday, October 6th, 2023
Baku, Azerbaijan

75th International Astronautical Congress
Sponsored by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF)
Announcement:
https://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/international-astronautical-congress-2024/
Theme: “Responsible Space for Sustainability”
Monday, October 14th through Friday, October 18th, 2024
Milan, Italy

76th International Astronautical Congress
Sponsored by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF)
Monday, September 29th through Friday, October 3rd, 2025
Sydney, Australia

Contact Us:

You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Mastodon.

Our website is www.isec.org.

Support us:

Sign up to be a member at: https://www.isec.org/membership

You can also give directly using the “Donate” link at the bottom of our website page.

Does your place of employment do matching funds for donations or volunteer time through Benevity? If so, you can make ISEC your recipient. Our 501(c)(3) number is 80-0302896.

Copyright International Space Elevator Consortium 2017

600 W Santa Ana Blvd Ste 114A, PMB 409, Santa Ana, CA 92701

630-240-4797