SpaceElevatorEnvironment: Difference between revisions
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|width="200pt"| Details / Solutions | |width="200pt"| Details / Solutions | ||
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|Lightning || Severed ribbon || Anchor location in lightning-free zone | |Lightning || Severed ribbon || Solution: Anchor location in lightning-free zone | ||
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|Wind || dynamic destruction of the ribbon || | |Wind || dynamic destruction of the ribbon || Solution: Anchor location where limited wind, ribbon design | ||
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|Radiation 1 || ribbon degradation || | |Radiation 1 || ribbon degradation || Solution: Select CNTs and other materials for ribbon that are radiation resistant | ||
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|Radiation 2 || hazard to electronics and cargo || higher speed and shielding | |Radiation 2 || hazard to electronics and cargo || Solution: May be able to ascend at a higher speed and use shielding (passive and active) to get radiation to acceptable levels | ||
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|Debris || ribbon destruction || Ribbon design with a width larger than a meter insures only a small part of the ribbon will be damaged by any impact. The ribbon design also isolates damage along the length of the ribbon. Active avoidance limits impacts larger than 1 cm. | |Debris || ribbon destruction || Solution: Ribbon design with a width larger than a meter insures only a small part of the ribbon will be damaged by any impact. The ribbon design also isolates damage along the length of the ribbon. Active avoidance limits impacts larger than 1 cm. | ||
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|Meteors || ribbon destruction || Same as for debris though lower flux and active avoidance can not be used. | |Meteors || ribbon destruction || Same as for debris though lower flux and active avoidance can not be used. | ||
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|Thermal cycling || ribbon wear and oscillation || Each day the lower end of the ribbon will go in and out of the Earth's shadow. This will change the temperature and length of the ribbon | |Thermal cycling || ribbon wear and oscillation || Each day the lower end of the ribbon will go in and out of the Earth's shadow. This will change the temperature and length of the ribbon | ||
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|Atomic oxygen || ribbon destruction || | |Atomic oxygen || ribbon destruction || Solution: Coating the affected section of the ribbon with an oxygen resistant material | ||
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Revision as of 06:42, 11 July 2008
The Environment
The elevator stretches from the Earth to high orbit - passing through Earth weather, the ionosphere, radiation belts and out beyond the Earth's magnetosphere. In each of these environments there are concerns and hazards for the space elevator and a complete understanding is required to be able to produce a viable design.
Hazard | Impact | Details / Solutions |
Lightning | Severed ribbon | Solution: Anchor location in lightning-free zone |
Wind | dynamic destruction of the ribbon | Solution: Anchor location where limited wind, ribbon design |
Radiation 1 | ribbon degradation | Solution: Select CNTs and other materials for ribbon that are radiation resistant |
Radiation 2 | hazard to electronics and cargo | Solution: May be able to ascend at a higher speed and use shielding (passive and active) to get radiation to acceptable levels |
Debris | ribbon destruction | Solution: Ribbon design with a width larger than a meter insures only a small part of the ribbon will be damaged by any impact. The ribbon design also isolates damage along the length of the ribbon. Active avoidance limits impacts larger than 1 cm. |
Meteors | ribbon destruction | Same as for debris though lower flux and active avoidance can not be used. |
Earth's magnetic field | Current generation in ribbon | Ribbon is geosynchronous so only flucuations in the magnet field will create any current and this is small |
Interplanetary magnet field | Current generation | The ribbon travels quickly through the interplanetary magnetic field but the field is too weak to generate and substantial current. |
Solar wind/particles | ribbon degradation | same as radiation above |
Gravitational influence | ribbon oscillation | The Moon and sun will both exert a gravitational pull on the ribbon at a roughly 24 hour period. The natural frequency of the ribbon is about 7.2 hours and there will be little coupling |
Thermal cycling | ribbon wear and oscillation | Each day the lower end of the ribbon will go in and out of the Earth's shadow. This will change the temperature and length of the ribbon |
Atomic oxygen | ribbon destruction | Solution: Coating the affected section of the ribbon with an oxygen resistant material |
Basic Work Required
- Full characterization of environmental effects starting from "The Space Elevator" book and studies done by others
- Detailed model of ribbon magnetic field interactions
- Detailed model of damage extent and flux due to meteors ( Leonids ) and debris. Include the expected increase in orbital debrisover the next couple decades.
- Thermal modeling of the ribbon during transition between sun and shadow