GeSp1315

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Number: 1315 Name: MILLIDIAMETER KESTS

Address: J.E.D.CLINE1 Date: 901109

Approximate # of bytes: 11340

Number of Accesses: 10 Library: 3

Description:

A small, demonstration form of a Kinetic-Energy-Supported

Transportation Structure has new properties of being able

to emplace itself and retract back to Earth surface. Includes

basic description, history, suborbital applications of

KESTS, developmental milestones, and "Treehouse Haven" concept.

KESTS is a potential way to quickly shift the

space program out of the "pony express" class and into the

"high speed rail" transportation class.

Keywords: KESTS,GEO,habitat,treehouse,SSPS,energy

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MILLIDIAMETER KESTS

By James E. D. Cline Nov. 8, 1990

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE IDEA:

Offering a way to upgrade our space transportation out

of the "pony express" class and into the "high-speed rail"

class, Kinetic-Energy-Supported Transportation Structures

connecting Earth surface with space could totally change

mankind's relationship with the extraterrestrial space

environment, and "Millidiameter KESTS offers a new way to

emplace and utilize KESTS. A KESTS is a very long

compression structure which is primarily supported by

kinetic energy contained within it. and in turn supports

vehicles travelling upon it. "Millidiameter" KESTS is a

self-emplacing and retracting structure consisting of two

end reversers connected by a bidirectional pair of

millimeter-diameter flexible evacuated tubes which contain

the high-velocity mass stream that stores and transmits the

suportive energy. A combination of electrostatic and

electromagnetic coupling center the stream within the

tubing. Ferromagnetic components within the mass stream are

used to couple energy from external accellerators, bend the

stream, and to extract energy through dynamically braking.

Flowing in a closed loop, electromagnetic drag on the upward

stream supports the weight of the tubing. The upper end

reverser/thruster is guided by shifting its thrust point

relative to the CG of the upper mass as it rises toward

space. Decellerating the mass stream will drop the KESTS

back for re-spooling on Earth surface.

PAYOFF OR VALUE: Demonstrates a relatively easy way to

emplace a Kinetic-Energy-Supported transportation Structure

into space, opening the way for massive continuous payload

transfer between earth surface and space.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS: This transportation link

between earth surface and space raises, guides, and lowers

itself. Can be a "seed" structure for massive train carrying

KESTS, or a modular component for a larger bundle. Can lift

some payload on its end thruster/reverser, or by releasing

some of the mass stream at its destinations site. Can

transmit energy from SSPS in space down to Earth surface.

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES OR SYSTEMS: Developed from scratch

utilizing existing technologies; might adapt maglev and

linear accelerator technology.

RELATION TO MAJOR MISSION OBJECTIVES: This concept can be a

major step toward fulfilling the basic promises of space

R&D: providing room for a major portion of mankind's

population slightly off-planet. And this could allow

civilization to continue to expand, while taking the

pressure off of earth surface resources so that her

ecological system could be restored to balance. Most of the

habitat ring construction would be done using lunar,

asteroidal, and Martian material resources, made far more

accessable through easy massive access to LEO or GEO by the

KESTS/Habitat Ring.

PREVIOUS HISTORY:

This concept is documented in the General Electric

Information Netework (GEnie) Spaceport Aerospace Technology

Library files:

#581 Microelevator Vers 2

#592 Microelevator Import

#634 Conceptual Synthesis

(all authored by J. E. D. Cline) and was the subject of an

ongoing Spaceport Bulletin Board discussion.

The more general KESTS concept (Kinetic-Energy-

Supported Transportation Structures) originated as an effort

to renew attention to the concepts of Keith Loftstrom and

Rod Hyde's"Launch Loop" and "Starbridge" and the derivative

concept of Earle Smith "Texas and Universe Railroad" which

would extend from earth surface to Geosynchronous Earth

Orbit. However, new concepts began to occur as an outgrowth

of this effort, including the generalized concept of KESTS

(which include Loftstrom's and Hyde's conceptual

principles), and the application of using a KESTS for a

power downlink from SSPS to earthsurface power grids. The

concept grew to include the major concept of building a ring

of Stanford Torus Space Settlements all the way around

Earth in GEO, permanently linked to Earthsurface by KESTS to

each nation. The Millidiameter KESTS concept

(Microelevator) is an attempt to create a useful

demonstration system for KESTS, which came to have unique

value of its own as the concept grew, such as the ability to

emplace itself and retract back to earthsurface.

For more background info see GEnie Spaceport Aerospace

Technology Library files:

#563 Energy/Transport

#629 GEO's Umbilical

#747 HWY TO EARTH GEO RING

#880 Passive Stable KESTS

#927 Longtrans 2

#1023 Treehouse 5, which was published as "Treehouse Haven" in "Meditation" magazine, Vol. V No. 1.

#1077 Treehaven 3

LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS:

The technological components of this concept seem to

already exist, therefore the liklihood of success probably

is a direct function of mankind's determination to make it

happen.

KEY DEMONSTRATIONS REQUIRED:

1. Ability to fabricate thousands of miles of

continuous evacuated tubing in the millimeter diameter

range.

2. Electrostatic or electromagnetic centering of the

tubing around a high velocity filament or discontinuous

stream of sections of filaments, utilizing electrets and

ferromagnetic inclusions within the tubing and stream of

mass.

3. Acceleration and deceleration of the mass stream

electromagnetically, including position-sensing of elements

of the mass stream for coordinating electromagnetic

acceleration pulses.

4. Superconducting magnet direction-reversing loops for

both ends of the KESTS, of reasonable size and efficiency,

lift-able by the force of reversing the direction of its

hagh velocity mass stream.

5. Atmospheric lateral force prediction feedback system

coupled to mass stream accelerator exit port director.

6. Stabilization of position of superconducting stream

bender weights in space.

7. Ability to guide ascending KESTS upper

reverser/thruster loop path, by shifting the point of

application of reverser thrust relative to the center of

gravity of the ascending mass.

ESTIMATED COST TO DEVELOP, DEMONSTRATE OR PRODUCE:

Guess at 200 million dollars for a Millidiameter KESTS;

going on to perhaps 20 billion for full sized

train-carrying KESTS to GEO. The GEO habitat ring for 15

billion inhabitants would cost in hundreds of trillions,

although since most of its component materials would come

from the Moon and asteroids, cost becomes difficult to put

in terms of dollars. The GNP of the first level of a

complete GEO habitat ring around the earth, complete with

15-billion inhabitants, with massive access to lunar and

asteroidal resources, is probably many times the net worth

of the whole current Earth civilization.

MILESTONES:

1. Detailed envisioning of application scenarios of

KESTS, both suborbital, LEO access, and GEO access KESTS, to

define minimum parameters for self-emplacing millidiameter

KESTS.

2. Gathering of, or coordination of, R & D of all of

the component technologies, and integrating them into a

demonstrably functional integrated KESTS technology.

3. Operational suborbital applications of KESTS:

mile-high radio antenna support structures for the plains

states, waterpipe-carrying KESTS to arid desert areas,

river-spanning automotive bridges, then intercontinental

KESTS.

4. Construction of a LEO spacecraft dockyard supported

by a KESTS.

5. Millimeter-diameter KESTS out to GEO.

6. Full-sized maglev train-carrying KESTS out to GEO in

continuous service.

7. Construction and occupancy of first 10,000-person

Island-One space settlement in GEO atop a KESTS.

8. Construction of a SSPS alongside a KESTS, inputing

power into the KESTS for its support and for earthsurface

power grid use.

9. Construction in GEO of full spacecraft dockyard

facilities for full scale exploration and resource

utilization of the moon, Mars and its two moons, and

asteroidal resources, for the building of the rest of the

first 15-billion person habitat ring in GEO.

10. Construction of Lunar and Mars KESTS.

APPLICATIONS BEYOND SPACE EXPLORATION & IMPORTANCE

The ability of a Millidiameter KESTS to emplace a seed

KESTS upon which to create a full sized KESTS, has

suborbital applications. KESTS could form bridges of vast

proportions, from spanning rivers, nations and even oceans,

linking continents directly by maglev rail carried by KESTS.

KESTS could be adapted to support pipelines, bringing

Alaskan oil and water to needed areas in mainland USA. KESTS

being a power downlink between GEO Solar Satellite Power

Stations and Earthsurface power grids allows petrochemical

reserves to be saved for future use as chemical feedstocks

instead of burning for fuel.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS:

KESTS needs to be international, with every nation

having its own KESTS access to the GEO Habitat Ring. To

minimize the risk of collision of conventional spacecraft

with full sized passenger-carrying KESTS, the majority of

every nation's deep space launch and recovery activities

would be from GEO space docking facilities.

IF the majority of civilization moved to comfortable

residence in the GEO Habitat Ring, which has complete

agricultural supply of food (picture 1.5 million of Island-1

space settlements ringing Earth in GEO, connected to

earthsurface by many KESTS), then the whole earth surface

ecology could be restored to a natural state...like a

worldwide national park, great for vacations, with a

maximum diversity of interlinked lifeforms dwelling within

it.

Thus can human civilization continue to expand

enormously and prosperously, while conserving and restoring

the whole natural ecological balance of the Earth.

An Excalator Hi page titled GeSp1315 by J E D Cline started on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 5:19:39 PM US/Pacific

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