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Dear Friend,

Welcome to the September, 2017 edition of the ISEC Newsletter.

In this edition, you will find a summaries of the 2017 SEC Conference in Seattle from ISEC President Pete Swan, ISEC Architecture Chair Michael Fitzgerald, and ISEC Research Director Dr. John Knapman. There are also some exciting upcoming Space Elevator related events around the world that you will want to check out.  Thank you for reading and lending your support in the development of Space Elevators!

As always, you will find notices of several open volunteer positions (a great way to help this project, even if you’re not a scientist or engineer) and a reminder that all ISEC reports, Yearly Reports, CLIMB Journals and the Via Ad Astra Magazine, are now available FOR FREE in electronic (pdf) format at ISEC.org. There is plenty of work to be done!

If you want to help us make a space elevator happen, JOIN ISEC and get involved! A space elevator would truly revolutionize life on earth and open up the solar system and beyond to all of us.

Please don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook, FOLLOW US on Twitter and enjoy the photos and videos that we’ve posted on Flickr and YouTube – all under our Social Identity of ISECdotORG.

Thank you,

Mark Dodrill

ISEC Webmaster

 

President’s Corner

I was thrilled by the conference we just completed, but I will let the other participants talk about the successes and surprises that occurred.  What I am going to discuss is our 2017 Student Internship program this summer.  We were very fortunate to have many submissions to choose from leading to an excellent set of five student interns. Each intern was to write a 750 word research paper on an agreed upon topic and then conduct an interview with someone interested in the space elevator concept or something similar.  The next chart summarizes their activities:

2017 ISEC Interns information

Over the next few months, we will have each of the research paper executive summaries presented along with a quick bio of each author.  I learned as much about the excitement around the globe on space elevators and movement off-planet as our students learned about space elevators.  We hope to have another round of intern selections during the March – May 2018 time period; so, keep climbing my friends. 

Pete Swan

President, ISEC

A Successful Space Elevator Conference is Highlighted by Progress

The International Space Elevator Consortium met in Seattle at Boeing’s Museum of Flight for its 2017 Conference.  It was a nice time of the year, and the then recent solar eclipse had a strong effect on our conference; if only to increase motel room prices to new highs.  Be that as it may, the conference was fun and fantastic.  The Museum of Flight sets the right tone for our musings; and, we all had a great time.      

This year, the ISEC Board and Conference attendees openly embraced the changes dictated by the maturing thoughts about a Space Elevator; as a transportation force in the future, as an enabler of robust space-based enterprise, and as the initial infrastructure of the 3rd dimension of Earth’s transportation and logistics system.  This triad of featured attributes is captured by ISEC’s portrayal of the Space Elevator Architecture as the Galactic Harbour.  ISEC sees a classic harbor … where transportation and business meet. To that end, the ISEC Board accepted the 2017 position paper; “Design Considerations for the Space Elevator Apex Anchor and GEO Node”.

Read more at: http://isec.org/isec-se-architecture-note-12

Michael "Fitzer" Fitzgerald

ISEC Architect

 

Why We should go off-planet?

Recently a large group of experts [mostly related to human spaceflight and NASA} published a report  Economic Assessment and Systems Analysis
of an Evolvable Lunar Architecture that
Leverages Commercial Space Capabilities and Public-Private-Partnerships .  Their conclusion was that the Moon should be the next target for NASA on route towards Mars with a huge part of it being a Public-Private Partnership.  They believe that with $10 billion, two teams could have active facilities on the surface of the Moon within a reasonable time – 15 years or so.  The benefits would be the following:

  • Economic Growth:   A commercial-partnership based return to the Moon is more likely to generate a larger than expected return on investment for U.S. economic growth compared to traditional cost-plus space investments.
  • National Security:  A commercial lunar architecture will accelerate the development of technologies and innovations of direct benefit to U.S. national security. In particular, higher launch rates of launch vehicles used the Department of Defense (DoD), and use of on-orbit propellant transfer, will significantly lower the cost of DoD launch services. Low-cost and reliable access to space is critical to U.S. national security.
  • Diplomatic Soft Power:   A permanent settlement on the Moon, based on free enterprise and democracy, will be the ultimate “shining city on the hill”.
  • Technology and Innovation:   Cheap Access to Space, 
Robotics, Environmental Systems, In Situ Resource Utilization,  Additive Manufacturing, Derivative Innovations in Space, International Social Development, Environmental Monitoring.
  • STEM Education and Inspiration:   The drama of private space ventures transporting crew and cargo to the International Space Station is the most inspiring story happening today in aerospace education.
  • Sustaining and Maximizing the Public Benefits:  There are several keys to sustaining and maximizing the public benefits of the ELA.

It seems to me the “Why” are we working on a space elevator architecture is that we want to contribute to this movement off-planet with simpler, easier and cheaper access to space. 

Pete Swan

President, ISEC

Space Elevator Research Workshop

At the conference in Seattle, we took another look at the main areas of research that we would like to support. As well as long, strong, lightweight materials, we are also interested in other topics:

  • Friction in the tether so that climbers can grip it
  • Design of the tether climbers
  • Methods of powering the tether climbers; we now have three candidates
    • Solar power
    • Laser power transmitted from Earth
    • Acoustic power transmitted from Earth as vibrations through the tether
  • Hazards, not just space debris but radiation, erosion and severance
  • Prototypes of High Stage One and the Multi-stage Space Elevator
  • Building a gold-standard simulation tool
    • The 2017 ISEC study is addressing design considerations for this tool

We took time during the workshop to examine some methods of raising funds to accelerate the work on these research topics. Then we looked at the three current studies on design considerations:

  1. The Apex Anchor and Geosynchronous Node
    • Michael Fitzgerald presented the completed report
  2. Simulation
    • Ongoing: Dennis Wright reported that the main decisions have been taken and we are ready for writing up.
  3. High Stage One and the Multi-stage Space Elevator
    • Just starting: John Knapman outlined the approach and proposed timetable. Several participants agreed to take part in this study

Step by step, we are bringing the era of the space elevator closer.

John Knapman,

ISEC Research Chairman

Keegan Tommy Completes 2017 International Space Elevator Consortium’s Summer Internship

2017 ISEC Summer Intern Keegan Tommy

Mr. Tommy is a 3rd year Chemical Engineering Student at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. During this summer he interviewed a senior person in South African space activities and conducted a survey at his university. He was also, required to accomplish research and provide a short thesis on a designated topic.  He chose a topic related to his country and their interest in space activities. 

His title and Executive Summary follow:  “How Can South Africa contribute to the Development of the Space Elevator?”

On the 6th of June 2017 I was tasked by the International Space Elevator Consortium to create a thesis as to how South Africa can contribute to the development of a Space Elevator?

In order to complete this task I arranged for a one-on-one interview with the Chief Engineer of the South African Nation Space Agency (SANSA) and also conducted a group discussion with top professors and lecturers of the University of Johannesburg and the Witwatersrand University. In addition, electronic communications were conducted with external companies that aim to develop their own rocketry program or are trying to introduce rocketry skills for young students. Finally, a survey was distributed and compiled for University Students in the University of Johannesburg.

I have come to the conclusion that South Africa, as a country, is not able to contribute to the development of the Space Elevator due to its lack of a stable economy and government; however, the people of South Africa possess the skills, knowledge and creative thinking to contribute to the development of a Space Elevator.

Upcoming Space Elevator Related Events Around the World:

The British Interplanetary Society 2017 Space Elevator Symposium – 7 November 2017, London, UK
Web Site for more information:   http://www.bis-space.com/2017/04/26/18868/symposium-on-space-elevators

International Astronautical Congress
15th IAA Symposium on Visions and Strategies for the Future – Conceptualizing Space Elevators and Tethered Satellites
Adelaide Australia, 25-29 September 2017
Web Site for more information-   https://iafastro.directory/iac/browse/IAC-17/D4/3/

National Space Society
International Space Development Conference
Los Angeles, CA, USA May 24-27 2018
Space Elevator Track
Web Site for more information: http://isdc.nss.org/2018/

 

Copyright International Space Elevator Consortium 2017

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

630-240-4797

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