The Space Elevator: Historical and Future Perspectives
- Paper number
IAC-05-D4.3.02
- Author
Dr. David Raitt, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Year
2005
- Abstract
The Space Elevator as currently conceived comprises an initial spacecraft, ribbon production unit, climbers, power beaming facility, anchor platform, debris tracking system and a 100,000 km ribbon of carbon nanotubes stretching up into space and along which the climbers will travel to release payloads into orbit at diverse points. It is expected that this international development will have a tremendous impact upon society and industry within the next twenty years when launch-to-orbit costs are reduced to around an anticipated $100/kg. The Space Elevator was one of several concepts singled out for attention in ESA’s s Innovative Technologies from Science Fiction for Space Applications (ITSF) study which reviewed of science fiction writings, artwork and films to ascertain whether any of the concepts and technologies mentioned in the (older) SF literature could be utilized for today
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-D4.3.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.