A novel approach is examined for creating an industrial civilization beyond Earth. The approach would take advantage of the unique configuration of Mars and its moon Phobos to make a transportation system capable of raising mass from the surface of Mars to space at a low cost. Mars would be used as the primary location for support personnel and infrastructure. Phobos would be used as a source of raw materials for space-based activity, and as an anchor for tethered carbon-nanotube-based space-elevators. One space-elevator would terminate at the upper edge of Mars' atmosphere. Small craft would be launched from Mars' surface to rendezvous with the moving elevator tip and their payloads detached and raised with solar powered loop elevators to Phobos. Another space-elevator would be extended outward from Phobos to launch craft toward the Earth/Moon system or the asteroid belt. The outward tip would also be used to catch arriving craft. This approach would allow Mars to be colonized, and allow transportation of people and supplies from Mars to support the space industry. In addition, large quantities of material obtained from Phobos could be used to construct space habitats and also supply propellant and material for space industry in the Earth/Moon system as well as around Mars.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Space Colonization Using Space-Elevators from Phobos


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Space Technology and Applications International Forum ; 2003 ; Albuquerque, NM, United States


    Publication date :

    2003-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





    Space Colonization Using Space-Elevators from Phobos

    Weinstein, L. M. / Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2003


    Space Elevators

    Van Pelt, Micheal | Springer Verlag | 2009


    Space tethers and space elevators

    Pelt, Michel | TIBKAT | 2009


    Space Tethers and Space Elevators

    Perek, Luboš | Online Contents | 2010