GeSp581

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Number: 581 Name: MICROELEVATOR VERS. 2

Address: J.E.D.CLINE1 Date: 881016

Approximate # of bytes: 16380

Number of Accesses: 16 Library: 3

Description:

Proposing the creation of a micro-sized dynamically-supported space

elevator extending from Earth-surface out to geosynchronous orbit, to

capture public attention to the potentials of concepts such as Hyde's

"Starbridge" and Lofstrom's Launch-Loop", and to provide limited

delivery service to space. Inviting all to join ina group creative

process with the intent of accellerating completion of the detailed

project by 1993.

Keywords: Starbridge,Launch-Loop,microelevator,transportation

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MICROELEVATOR:Version 2

by J E D Cline Oct 8, 1988

Proposing the creation of a micro-sized dynamically-supported space

elevator extending from Earth-surface out to GEO, to capture public

attention to the potentials of concepts such as Hyde's "Starbridge"

and Lofstrom"s "Launch Loop", and to provide limited delivery service

to space. Inviting all to join in a group creative process with the

intent of accellerating completion of the detailed conceptual

synthesis in all aspects, and actualizing it within, say, 10 years.

New ideas grow from existing ideas which grew from the old ideas. Be

part of this growing-idea process.... All readers are invited to

participate in the evolution of the synthesis of this concept. [This

can be a project that has a life, a beingness, of its own, like a

living entity.] It is humanitarian in nature, intended to accellerate

the constructive expansion of civilization into space, taking the load

off of Mother Earth.

Maintain a playfully adventurous cheerful altruistic attitude, while

participating in the growth of new concepts. Structures which form the

basis for transporting payload from the Earth's surface into space

have been proposed for many years, yet we aren't building them yet.

Their potential for accellerating the journey of mankind into space

settlements is incredible and potentially near-future, technologically

speaking. Herein is proposed a way to demonstrate feasability through

building a backyard version first. Although not quite the concepts of

Starbridge and LaunchLoop, it is similar enough to gain attention to

those brilliant concepts, and perhaps form a limited version of a

useful transportation system itself.

Brainstorming to conceptualize a micro-sized system, something that

raises itself from the ground in some place off the air traffic lanes,

and extends upward resembling a kite string all the way to

geosynchronous orbit, then retracts itself back to earth surface

again. Would that get public attention and industry support?

Picturing the "kite string" as a pair of tubes (one for upward flow,

the other for downward flow) size of ...0.02 inch diameter each would

require a storage volume equal to a cube only 50 feet on a

side...charged electrostatically (or alternatively centered

electromagnetically) to frictionlessly center a very high velocity

fillament, or stream of charged matter, within the pair of tubes.

Perhaps the tubing is made as an electret, charge directed inward, and

the filament an insulator...glass?...which is a coating around a very

fine ferromagnetic material. Electrostatic bearings for this

microstructure concept is thought less complicated than an

electromagnetic bearing structure. The ferromagnetic material in the

center of the filament is used to be the armature of the accellerating

linear induction motor, and to magnetically couple enough drag on the

filament to support the tubing enclosing it, which has magnetic

material laced through it for that purpose. The upper end of the

tubes has a rotational reflector, diverting the upward stream flowing

within one tube, around and down the other tube. Push is exerted by

that reflection process. The push is on a remote-controlled tiny

craft, which thusly accellerates upward trailing the stringlike

tube-pair as it goes. At the origination site, the tube pair is stored

in a large ring from which it is being de-spooled. This ring also is

the toroidal stator for the induction motor for accellerating the

wire/stream within the tube. Thus the wire/stream is continuously

flowing in a giant loop, coiled long enough to go round-trip to GEO,

22400 miles up and back.

The craft continues upward, pushed by the process of reversing the

direction of the mass of the high-velocity filament in the tube,

remotely guided to accomodate encountered winds, like a kitestring

headed upward. After reaching the vacuum of space, the craft uses

energy from the wire/stream within the tube pushing it upward, to

accellerate reaction mass in appropriate directions to guide it as it

continues its ascent toward GEO. Once at GEO, it proves its

achievement either as a radio transmitter turned on inside it, or by

having the craft covered by optical/radio retroreflectors, and ground

stations are invited to triangulate upon it, proving it's existence

there. The velocity of the wire/stream is then decellerated to reduce

the upward urge, and the tube pair is pulled back down to Earth

surface, re-spooled into the large ring from whence it was first set

on its journey to GEO. (Alternatively, one could use this system to

deliver the filament material to GEO at a respectable rate...material

for use in building structures in space...say, a 2 mil diameter glass

filament with ferromagnetic inclusions delivered at a rate of say 8

miles worth a second, accumulates respectably). Bids are then taken

for building large commercial versions for use in putting comsats in

GEO, and for building a permanently-erected version supporting a

maglev Earth-to-space elevator, powered thereafter from a small Solar

Power Satellite at its GEO terminal, using relevent concepts from

Lofstrom's Launch Loop concepts, and Hyde's Starbridge concept.

This is one of two primary versions, the quasi-linear, or UP-DOWN,

version, based on the "Starbridge" concept proposed by Hyde. The other

primary version, based on the version of Lofstrom's "Launch Loop" as

envisioned in Earl Smith's "Texas and Universe Railroad", is the

quasi-elliptical, or AROUND, version, is very similar, except that it

has a nearly horizontal contact point with earth-surface, and

encircles the Earth, reaching geosynchronous orbit on the far side of

Earth before returning to the origination point on the surface,

continuing the loop. This second version has a minimum of centering

force required inside the microtube..

Thusly the public's attention would be captured through a real

demonstration, and press releases are then sent describing the visions

of the futures possible when full scale versions are in operation,

transporting billions of people toward space colonies built in space,

initiating true space settlement of a spacefaring people.

Microelevator conceptual snapshots:

payload is a stretchable filament or discontinuous filament sections

thickening at top due to slowing

reaction engine atop at GEO to hold in place; or open tube

end to release the stream of mass to stop "push" while there; or stop

at equilibrium point short of GEO (very thick tube at that point?)

to cancel lateral thrust at top-end direction-reverser, have two

filaments, which go opposite directions to rotate downward, then

rejoin for trip back to Earth

push=F=ma

a=say 8 mi/sec, m=0.83 lbm/in3, vol = 2E-3in2 * pi*8 mi

tube of carbon-fiber-epoxy matrix--keep out air where in atmosphere

constant "current" all along length, constant mass/sec throughput...

means thin where fast, thick where slower.

I invite those with appropriate skills to put numbers to it. Questions

and answers, anyone? Whenever bugs are found, please communicate

them to me, so that I can re-synthesize the concept, for re-uploading

to GEnie Spaceport library for further serious playful

thinking/imagineering by interested persons, involving this way to

create a highway to space. Replies can be uploaded to GEnie Spaceport

library; post notice in GEnie Spaceport RT Bulletinboard catagory

3,topic (topic not yet entered at this writing) GEMail to me using

address of "J.E.D.Cline1"; sent to me (JED Cline) at 5632 Van Nuys

Blvd. #110, Van Nuys, CA 91491, or phoned to (818) 909-0143. Thanks

and have fun with visions for a new future!

I plan to prepare a set of appropriate sketches for interested

persons. Send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope and this will

urge me to get busy and make the sketches.

Declaration of Intention: This is an evocative, evolving activity. It

is a creative, fun hobby first; rigorous research, development,

production and usage are secondary at this point. Focusing now on

conceptual synthesis of microelevators from Earth surface to space, at

this time its purposes are to find ways to attract widespread interest

in concepts such as "Starbridge" and ""Launch Loop" project concepts,

and perhaps to create a physically useful specialized space delivery

system, and to see what else is evoked along the way. It is intended

that this project be humanitarian in nature. More than that,

dedicated to the effort to more quickly move the advancing human

civilization off Earth surface so as to allow the restoration of

Earth's natural enduring ecology. With all who are in harmony with

this, then, freely given and received is all associated ideas and

data. This is a peaceful, cooperative, excitingly constructive

activity.

MONEY: Money, can, in a sense by considered a form of energy. That

is, it can cause work to happen. And just as electrical energy

requires the appropriate existence of electric motors to cause

mechanical motion work to happen, so money also requires the

appropriate existences of resources to achieve things. Ideas are part

of those resource existences, as also are people, equipment, time, a

myriad of other resources. This microelevator hobby can become one of

those resources existences.

ATTITUDE: it is important to maintain a fun happy playful hobby

consciousness atop this project. So let your happy, loving, creative

imagination run loose. Spacefaring Society, THINK FUN!

Multiply the advancement of this project by sharing insights here on

GEnie Spaceport Roundtable. Read the references available in the

spaceport library. Upload your insight to it. Post notices of

insights (engineering calculations are a form of insights, too) on the

RT bulletin board catagory 3, topic

This concept appears deeply rooted in human consciousness. Even the

ancient Babylonion culture had a project at E-tamen-an-ki, to "build a

tower so high as to enable man to enter the heavens." (See the

conceptual references at the end of this file.) We now have

technology that the Babylonians needed to succeed in their tower

project. More important, we have a powerful communication tool that

could have helped them: GEnie Spaceport Roundtable.... Every related

happy, constructive insight is freely welcome from anyone anywhere.

Join in this hobby of space elevators, focusing on microelevators for

now. Spacefaring Society, Think Fun!

Microelevator conceptual reference acknowledgements: Contribute your

insight here, big or small, old or new, and get added to the list.

Let me know, preferably by posting on Spaceport RT Bulletin Board

catagory 3. Periodically I expect to upload the growing list to the

library. Also, please advise me of all corrections and additions to

expand and improve this acknowledgement list. Thanks.

1) Prehistoric culture, primal awareness urge to find and climb a tall

tree for safety, food, and friends.

2) Ancient Babylonian culture, E-tamen-an-ki, project to build a

tower so tall as to enable man to enter the heavens. They needed to

learn a better way to communicate, it is written.

3) Child's fable, "Jack and the Beanstalk", story telling of a boy who

planted a magic bean seed to have it grow so high in the sky that it

allowed Jack to climb it and enter the Giant's land far up there,

where there was gold.

4) Artsutanov, 1960, concept of a earth tower extending far enough

beyond geosynchronous orbit so as to be supported by the centrifugal

force of the rotating Earth.

5) J. D. Isaacs et al., 1966, Earth tower.

6) James E. D. "Jed" Cline, 1971-72, space elevator extending from the

Moon's surface and extending toward the Earth far enough to be

supported by the pull of the dominating Earth gravity well. A tapered

tensile structure made of Lunar glass, would have superconducting

maglev tracks to couple energy from payload mass falling down toward

Earth from L-1 to lift more payload mass up from the Lunar surface to

L-1. Used foam cast gliders made at L-1 to finish journey from

cable's end to Earth surface.

7) Pearson, 1976, Extensive calculations on long space tethers.

8) Hans Moravec, 1978, Skyhook concepts, non-synchronous rotating

orbital space tethers. Lifts payload mass grabbed by its lower end as

it continues its rotation to its upward position, where payload then

is released. Does not need maglev track for kinetic energy exchange.

9) Keith Lofstrom, 1983, Launch Loop concept. Orbital velocity mass,

consisting of an iron ribbon, shielded from the atmosphere by an

enclosing tube which it supports, looping from Earth surface up above

the atmosphere and back down to elsewhere on Earth surface. The iron

ribbon is accellerated by electrical energy on the Earth.

10) Ron Hyde, 1983, Starbridge concept. Orbital velocity mass is

accellerated in a loop at a mountain base, sent straight up through a

vacuum enclosing tube which the high velocity mass (beryllium disks

with magnets) also supports. A mass at its top includes velocity

reversing mechanism turning the beryllium disks around and heading

back down the tube for re-accelleration at the mountain base and

returning back up the tube. The stream's electrokinetic energy also

supports the tube it travels within.

11) Joe Carroll 1983, uses of space tethers.

12) Earl Smith, 1985, modified Launch Loop in quasi-elliptical orbit

around the Earth, continually accellerated at its contact point on

Earth surface electrically, then orbiting around through

geosynchronous orbit and back to Earth. In the atmosphere it supports

tube keeping atmosphere away from orbital velocity mass stream within

it. Regulated only by Texas Railroad Commission....

13) K. Eric Drexler, "Engines of Creation". Anchor Press, 1986.

Classic on making things really small.

14) JED Cline, 1988, delivery of Solar Power Satellite generated power

to Earth surface electric power grid, without use of

environmentally-objectionable microwave beams, through use of

electrokinetic energy contained in a Starbridge/Launch Loop

transportation system. Sale of this electric power on Earth pays for

the project; space transportation structure is a freebie.

13) Keith Lofstrom, 1988, critique on Cline's Mooncable lunar

surface/L-1 space elevator concept.

14) JED Cline, 1988, initial concept of low budget microelevator to

space, very small tube enclosing orbital velocity stream, using thrust

of reverser on upper end to lift it to geosynchronous orbit;

retractable back to Earthsurface. Initially intended to draw

attention to Launch Loop/Starbridge full-scale space transportation

potentials through a real demonstration, has space payload delivery

potential of its own.

15) David Brin, Oct.15, 1988, Planetary Society meeting, public

promotion of the concept of Earth-to-space elevators.

Start of reference list of idea stimulators:

Keith H. Lofstrom, "The Launch Loop", ANALOG 1983

Earl Smith, "The Texas and Universe Railroad", L-5 NEWS Nov. 85 pp9-11

K. Eric Drexler, "Engines of Creation", Anchor Press

J. E. D. Cline, "Space Inspiration", GEnie Spaceport library file #475

J. E. D. Cline, "Power + Transportation", GEnie Spaceport library file

#553

J. E. D. Cline, "Energy/Transport", GEnie Spaceport Library, file

#563

An Excalator Hi page titled GeSp581 by J E D Cline started on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 5:04:55 PM US/Pacific

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