GeSp563

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Number: 563 Name: ENERGY/TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Address: J.E.D.CLINE1 Date: 881001

Approximate # of bytes: 10080

Number of Accesses: 26 Library: 3

Description:

This is a technological synthesisutilizing the concepts of SPS/Powersat,power storage rings, Launch Loop, andStarbridge. The synthesis results ina design that supplies electrical power to the Earth, as well asproviding an enormous space transportationcapability.

Keywords:

energy/transportation,SPS,Powersat,Launchloop,Starbridge,colonization,spacefarin

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ELECTRICAL POWER + SPACE TRANSPORTATION = SPACEFARING

by J. E. D. Cline September 31,1988

Ref: GEnie Spaceport file #553

This is a technological conceptual synthesis utilizing theconcepts of SPS Powersat, Power Storage Ring, ElectricalPower Transmission Line, Launch Loop, and Starbridge. Itsintent is to provide a stimulus for a greatly expanded spaceprogram through its byproduct of providing large amounts ofpollution-free electrical power delivered to meet the moreimmediate needs of people on Earth.

The EXPECTED PROBLEM is that progress is far too slow toachieve space colonization prior to Earth losing too manyspecies' genotypes, and preserving its balanced ecologyneeded to provide indefinite support of a teemingcivilization, and that reaction-engine propulsion technologyuses too much of Earth's resources to be practical formass exodus to space.

The PROPOSED SOLUTION is to merge several leading-edge spaceconcepts into a design which has a byproduct of supplyinggreat amounts of electrical power to Earth-surface powergrids, for the more immediated needs' attention of everydaylife.

The EXPECTED RESULTS are a renewed interest by the averageperson in a greatly expanded space program, resulting in theconstruction of combined electrical power systems and spacetransportation systems such as proposed herein. This systemwould take the load off the fossil fuel supply now beingconsumed as the primary source of power on Earth, while atthe same time a space transportation "highway" system isproviding massive transport of materials and people betweenEarth surface and space settlements. A spacefaring societycivilization transfers the majority of humanity intoartificial worlds built in Geosynchronous orbit and in theL-4/L-5 libration points 240,000 miles from Earth, while theEarth's ecology is gradually restored to a function ofpreserving a diversity of species genotypes.The conceptual synthesis will be presented next, followed bya brief description of the component concepts, then thesequence of actualization will be described briefly.

The CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS: A Solar Power Satellite located ina geosynchronous orbit converts solar energy intoelectrical power. This electrical energy is used toaccellerate a stream of ultrafast objects headed down anenclosing guide tube or ring toward the Earth's surfaceterminal. At the Earth terminal, some of the electrokineticenergy is tapped off to feed into the Earth surfaceelectrical power grid, and the rest is redirected backtoward space in the enclosing tower tube or ring. Themassive stream of ultrafast objects is accelleratedelectromagneticaly to add energy to it, and decelleratedelectromagnetically to extract energy from it. Some of itselectrokinetic energy is transferred to the tubular guidewayused to keep the air out where it is in the Earth'satmosphere, and to provide support and power for thetransportation system that runs along its length. The resultis an electrical power supply for Earth, and a self-poweredeconomical transportation link connecting the Earth'ssurface with geosynchronous orbit.

The SPS POWERSAT concept was proposed in the "60's by Peter Glaser. Located in GEO, it converts the endless solarenergy there into electrical energy through use of vastsilicon solar cell arrays, or by using a Helium-Braytonturbine system. The original SPS concept then used apowerful microwave beam to beam the gigawatts of power tothe Earth's surface.

An ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION LINE: is what connectselectrical power sources with the users of electrical power.On earth the lines are made of copper or aluminum wires,and connect sources such as hydroelectric, fossil fuel oilor natural gas, nuclear-electric and wind generator powerplants, with their customer homes and industrial users.

POWER STORAGE RINGS: were proposed to store electrical powerproduced during the low-demand hours of the day, and thenadd their energy during peak power demand hours.Hydroelectric power storage is used now. This concept woulduse a huge ring enclosing and guiding a massive stream ofhurtling ultrafast objects, which stores energyelectrokinetically. Power is added or extracted from thestorage ring stream by accellerating or decellerating themassive stream electromagnetically.

LAUNCH LOOP: a powerful space transportation concept by Keith Lofstom, would be similar to the power storage ringconcept. However, it only touches the Earth's surface at one point; from there it bounces up to geosynchronous orbit,then circles back down around the Earth to reconnect at thesame point on the surface. In the version proposed by Earl Smith in "The Texas and Universe Railroad" the Earth surfaceterminal would be located in Texas, resulting in requiring passing over only one other country, and being subject tothe state's lenient railroad regulatory agency.

STARBRIDGE: another powerful space transportation conceptproposed by Ron Hyde in about 1983. It would be adynamically-supported Earth tower, reaching from the Earth'ssurface toward space. Located at the slope and base of amountain, Earth-sourced electrical power is used toaccellerate a vast stream of ultrafast beryllium disks(which have a magnet attached to each one) in anelectromagnetic accellerator on the mountain slopes. Theaccellerator directs the stream down the mountain, around ina loop, and back up the mountain slope; the stream thencontinues upward in a vacuum withing a tube supported byenergy extracted from the electrokinetic energy containedwithin the moving stream. At the top end of the Starbridgetower, a reflector returns the stream of objects back downthe tube to return for re-accelleration in the mountainsideaccellerator. This transportation system would consumeprodigious amounts of Earth resource electrical power, butwould be able to lift payload mass equal to that of everyhuman being on Earth in a matter of a couple of weeks!The Launch Loop and the Starbridge concepts...or aderivative of them...offer a way to create a "highway"between Earth surface and space. Their source of powerwould be electrical, and once such a megaproject is built,in this conceptual synthesis it would enable poweringitself by a dedicated Solar Power Satellite, thus taking theburden off the Earth for the energy to transfer payloadsbetween EArth and space. In principle it takes only a fewcents' worth of electricity, about 16KWHr, to lift akilogram to geosynchronous orbit from the Earth'ssurface...in contrast to the thousands of dollars it costsper kilogram of payload using conventional reaction enginepropulsion systems. Supplying excess electrical power fromthe Powersat to energize the Earth surface electrical powergrid would pay for the construction of the energy/transportsystem, and help take the load off of fossil fuel reserves,preserving them for the much more critical petrochemicalfeedstocks needed for the future.

SEQUENCE OF ACTUALIZATION of this concept starts with powerfrom conventional electrical power sources being used tolift and power-up the structure of such a transport system,then components of a prefab Solar Power Satellite is sent upthe system for installation at its geosynchronous orbitterminal. Thereafter solar energy from the SPS is used tosupport and run the transportation system and also to supplyelectrical power to Earth's surface, put into theconventional power grid at the bottom end of the structure.Power is transferred along the transportation sturcture inthe form of the kinetic energy of a stream of extremelyfast moving objects. Power is put into, and taken out of,the syustem by electromagnetically accellerating ordecellerating the stream of objects. The stream flows in anairless tube which is itself supported by electrical dragon the massive stream of ultrafast objects within itself.Energy is supplied to Earth surface, and a highway to spaceis created to enable civilization to move into space.Although still conceptual in nature, the potential of suchconcepts for moving absolutely enormous amounts of materialand people from Earth and space in a short time atrelatively very low cost using somewhat elevator-like means,could totally change the way things are built in space.These concepts suggest that a "highway" to space may befeasable using near-contemporary technology, supplyingelectrical power to Earth as a byproduct, and enablingcivilization to have an exodus into artificial worlds builtin near-earth space, and start the healing of Earth'secology and preservation of a maximum of diversity ofspecies genotypes. It is important that we do start thissoon.

J.E.D.CLINE1 (GEnie address)

James Edward David "Jim/Jed/Dave" Cline

5632 Van Nuys Blvd. #110

Van Nuys, CA 91401

(818) 909-0143

Apologies are offered for all errors or ommissions. Allcomments which can be used to improve future rewrites ofthis will be appreciated. Perfecting analysis, engineeringrealism and socioeconomic factors are needed to providefeedback to improve the conceptual synthesis' viability.

*********************************

Number: 563 Name: ENERGY/TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Address: J.E.D.CLINE1 Date: 881001

Approximate # of bytes: 10080

çNumber of Accesses: 37 Library: 19

Description:

This is a technological synthesis

utilizing the concepts of SPS/Powersat,

power storage rings, Launch Loop, and

Starbridge. The synthesis results ina design that supplies electrical power to the Earth, as well as

providing an enormous space transportation

capability.

Keywords:

energy/transportation,SPS,Powersat,Launchloop,Starbridge,colonization,

spacefarin

---------------------------------

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ELECTRICAL POWER + SPACE TRANSPORTATION = SPACEFARING

by J. E. D. Cline September 31,1988Ref: GEnie Spaceport file #553

This is a technological conceptual synthesis utilizing the

concepts of SPS Powersat, Power Storage Ring, Electrical

Power Transmission Line, Launch Loop, and Starbridge. Its

intent is to provide a stimulus for a greatly expanded space

program through its byproduct of providing large amounts of

pollution-free electrical power delivered to meet the more

immediate needs of people on Earth.

The EXPECTED PROBLEM is that progress is far too slow to

achieve space colonization prior to Earth losing too manyspecies' genotypes, and preserving its balanced ecology

needed to provide indefinite support of a teeming

civilization, and that reaction-engine propulsion technology

uses too much of Earth's resources to be practical for

mass exodus to space.

The PROPOSED SOLUTION is to merge several leading-edge space

concepts into a design which has a byproduct of supplying

great amounts of electrical power to Earth-surface power

grids, for the more immediated needs' attention of everyday

life.The EXPECTED RESULTS are a renewed interest by the average

person in a greatly expanded space program, resulting in the

construction of combined electrical power systems and space

transportation systems such as proposed herein. This system

would take the load off the fossil fuel supply now being

consumed as the primary source of power on Earth, while at

the same time a space transportation "highway" system is

providing massive transport of materials and people between

Earth surface and space settlements. A spacefaring societycivilization transfers the majority of humanity into

artificial worlds built in Geosynchronous orbit and in the

L-4/L-5 libration points 240,000 miles from Earth, while the

Earth's ecology is gradually restored to a function of

preserving a diversity of species genotypes.

The conceptual synthesis will be presented next, followed by

a brief description of the component concepts, then the

sequence of actualization will be described briefly.

The CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS: A Solar Power Satellite located ina geosynchronous orbit converts solar energy into

electrical power. This electrical energy is used to

accellerate a stream of ultrafast objects headed down an

enclosing guide tube or ring toward the Earth's surface

terminal. At the Earth terminal, some of the electrokinetic

energy is tapped off to feed into the Earth surface

electrical power grid, and the rest is redirected back

toward space in the enclosing tower tube or ring. The

massive stream of ultrafast objects is accellerated

electromagneticaly to add energy to it, and decelleratedelectromagnetically to extract energy from it. Some of its

electrokinetic energy is transferred to the tubular guideway

used to keep the air out where it is in the Earth's

atmosphere, and to provide support and power for the

transportation system that runs along its length. The result

is an electrical power supply for Earth, and a self-powered

economical transportation link connecting the Earth's

surface with geosynchronous orbit.

The SPS POWERSAT concept was proposed in the "60's by PeterGlaser. Located in GEO, it converts the endless solar

energy there into electrical energy through use of vast

silicon solar cell arrays, or by using a Helium-Brayton

turbine system. The original SPS concept then used a

powerful microwave beam to beam the gigawatts of power to

the Earth's surface.

An ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION LINE: is what connects

electrical power sources with the users of electrical power.

On earth the lines are made of copper or aluminum wires,

and connect sources such as hydroelectric, fossil fuel oilor natural gas, nuclear-electric and wind generator power

plants, with their customer homes and industrial users.

POWER STORAGE RINGS: were proposed to store electrical power

produced during the low-demand hours of the day, and then

add their energy during peak power demand hours.

Hydroelectric power storage is used now. This concept would

use a huge ring enclosing and guiding a massive stream of

hurtling ultrafast objects, which stores energy

electrokinetically. Power is added or extracted from thestorage ring stream by accellerating or decellerating the

massive stream electromagnetically.

LAUNCH LOOP: a powerful space transportation concept by

Keith Lofstom, would be similar to the power storage ring

concept. However, it only touches the Earth's surface at

one point; from there it bounces up to geosynchronous orbit,

then circles back down around the Earth to reconnect at the

same point on the surface. In the version proposed by Earl

Smith in "The Texas and Universe Railroad" the Earth surfaceterminal would be located in Texas, resulting in requiring

passing over only one other country, and being subject to

the state's lenient railroad regulatory agency.

STARBRIDGE: another powerful space transportation concept

proposed by Ron Hyde in about 1983. It would be a

dynamically-supported Earth tower, reaching from the Earth's

surface toward space. Located at the slope and base of a

mountain, Earth-sourced electrical power is used to

accellerate a vast stream of ultrafast beryllium disks(which have a magnet attached to each one) in an

electromagnetic accellerator on the mountain slopes. The

accellerator directs the stream down the mountain, around in

a loop, and back up the mountain slope; the stream then

continues upward in a vacuum withing a tube supported by

energy extracted from the electrokinetic energy contained

within the moving stream. At the top end of the Starbridge

tower, a reflector returns the stream of objects back down

the tube to return for re-accelleration in the mountainsideaccellerator. This transportation system would consume

prodigious amounts of Earth resource electrical power, but

would be able to lift payload mass equal to that of every

human being on Earth in a matter of a couple of weeks!

The Launch Loop and the Starbridge concepts...or a

derivative of them...offer a way to create a "highway"

between Earth surface and space. Their source of power

would be electrical, and once such a megaproject is built,

in this conceptual synthesis it would enable poweringitself by a dedicated Solar Power Satellite, thus taking the

burden off the Earth for the energy to transfer payloads

between EArth and space. In principle it takes only a few

cents' worth of electricity, about 16KWHr, to lift a

kilogram to geosynchronous orbit from the Earth's

surface...in contrast to the thousands of dollars it costs

per kilogram of payload using conventional reaction engine

propulsion systems. Supplying excess electrical power from

the Powersat to energize the Earth surface electrical powergrid would pay for the construction of the energy/transport

system, and help take the load off of fossil fuel reserves,

preserving them for the much more critical petrochemical

feedstocks needed for the future.

SEQUENCE OF ACTUALIZATION of this concept starts with power

from conventional electrical power sources being used to

lift and power-up the structure of such a transport system,

then components of a prefab Solar Power Satellite is sent up

the system for installation at its geosynchronous orbitterminal. Thereafter solar energy from the SPS is used to

support and run the transportation system and also to supply

electrical power to Earth's surface, put into the

conventional power grid at the bottom end of the structure.

Power is transferred along the transportation sturcture in

the form of the kinetic energy of a stream of extremely

fast moving objects. Power is put into, and taken out of,

the syustem by electromagnetically accellerating or

decellerating the stream of objects. The stream flows in anairless tube which is itself supported by electrical drag

on the massive stream of ultrafast objects within itself.

Energy is supplied to Earth surface, and a highway to space

is created to enable civilization to move into space.

Although still conceptual in nature, the potential of such

concepts for moving absolutely enormous amounts of material

and people from Earth and space in a short time at

relatively very low cost using somewhat elevator-like means,

Yçcould totally change the way things are built in space.These concepts suggest that a "highway" to space may be

feasable using near-contemporary technology, supplying

electrical power to Earth as a byproduct, and enabling

civilization to have an exodus into artificial worlds built

in near-earth space, and start the healing of Earth's

ecology and preservation of a maximum of diversity of

species genotypes. It is important that we do start this

soon.

J.E.D.CLINE1 (GEnie address)

James Edward David "Jim/Jed/Dave" Cline 5632 Van Nuys Blvd. #110

Van Nuys, CA 91401

(818) 909-0143

Apologies are offered for all errors or ommissions. All

comments which can be used to improve future rewrites of

this will be appreciated. Perfecting analysis, engineering

realism and socioeconomic factors are needed to provide

feedback to improve the conceptual synthesis' viability.

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