StarTram: An International Facility to Magnetically Launch Payloads at Ultra Low Unit Cost
- Paper number
IAC-06-D3.2.07
- Author
Dr. George Maise, Plus Ultra Technologies, Inc., United States
- Coauthor
Dr. James Powell, Plus Ultra Technologies, Inc., United States
- Coauthor
Mr. James Jordan, United States
- Year
2006
- Abstract
Launching payloads into space on conventional rockets costs approximately 10,000 dollars per kilogram and capacity limited to about 1000 tons per year. There have been marginal gains over the years, but dramatic improvements are unlikely. In contrast, Maglev can magnetically accelerate large payloads to orbital speeds of 8 km/sec for only 0.50 dollars per kg for the electric energy used. Superconducting (SC) Maglev passenger trains based on the 1966 inventions of Powell and Danby are now operating in Japan. There, 200 ton trains are magnetically levitated and propelled above a guideway at 565 km/hr in the atmosphere with their speed only limited by air drag. In evacuated tunnels, 8 km/sec and more could be achieved. If the vehicle then entered the atmosphere at ground level, however, it would be destroyed by aerodynamic forces and heating. To avoid this, StarTram vehicles coast upwards inside an evacuated and levitated launch tube to a high altitude where they can safely enter the atmosphere and then coast up to orbit. The launch tube is levitated by the very strong magnetic repulsion force, e.g., 4 metric tons per meter of tube length at 20 km altitude, between a set of high current SC cables attached to it and a second set of high current SC cables on the ground. Kevlar tethers anchored to the ground stabilize the tube vertically against the net upwards magnetic force and laterally against cross winds. The design and construction of 2 baseline StarTram systems is described in detail. The Gen-1 StarTram high-g system would launch 20 ton cargo payloads at 8 km/sec and 10 km altitude using non-recoverable vehicles. Construction cost would be 30 billion dollars. At an annual launch rate of 200,000 tons per year, the unit launch cost would be only 30 dollars per kg, including operating and amortization costs. Gen-1 would enable many large scale applications in space including solar power satellite beaming to Earth. The later Gen-2 low-g system would launch passengers and cargo with re-usable vehicles having a payload capacity of 70 metric tons. Its construction cost would be 100 billion dollars. Gen-2 would enable a large scale space tourism industry with hundreds of thousands of passengers annually. The SC technology for StarTram and its existing high temperature superconductors is described in detail. Potential sites for an international StarTram facility are described, including Alaska, Greenland, Australia, and the Antarctic plateau.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-D3.2.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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