AbstractWe consider a space elevator system for lunar surface access that consists of a space station in circumlunar orbit, a cable reaching down to some meters above the surface and a magnetically levitated vehicle driven by a linear motor. It accelerates the load to be lifted to the speed of the cable end. Loads to be delivered are either put on the vehicle and slowed down by it or they are slowed down by a sand braking technique in a mare terrain. It is technically possible to operate this transport system nearly without fuel supply from Earth. We calculate various steel cable dimensions for a static stress maximum of 1 5 th of the tensile strength. The process of takeover is considered in detail. Five ways of eliminating the adverse large cable elongation due to the load are described. The touchdown process and behaviour of the cable after disconnection are analysed. The positive difference between the speed of the load at takeover and cable end can excite a large inplane swing motion. We propose to damp it by a dissipative pulley that hangs in a loop of wire leading to the ends of two beams mounted on the space station tangentially to the orbit, the pulley's core being connected with the load. Roll librations are damped by energy losses in the elastic beams; damping can be reinforced by viscous beam elements and/or controlled out-of-plane motions of the beams. We argue in favour of the possibility of fast deployment. The problems of vehicle vibrations and agglutination at sand braking blades are underlined and their combined experimental investigation is suggested.


    Zugriff

    Zugriff prüfen

    Verfügbarkeit in meiner Bibliothek prüfen

    Bestellung bei Subito €


    Exportieren, teilen und zitieren



    Titel :

    On a lunar space elevator


    Beteiligte:
    Lemke, E.H. (Autor:in)

    Erschienen in:

    Acta Astronautica ; 12 , 6 ; 385-396


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1984-05-22


    Format / Umfang :

    12 pages




    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch



    The Lunar Space Elevator

    Pearson, Jerome / Levin, Eugene / Oldson, John et al. | AIAA | 2004


    The Lunar Space Elevator

    Pearson, Jerome | Online Contents | 2005


    Jacob's Ladder - Lunar Space Elevator

    Qedar, R. / Grinfeld, N. / Bezrodny, G. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2010



    Lunar transportation scenarios utilising the Space Elevator

    Engel, K. A. / International Astronautical Federation / International Academy of Astronautics et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2005