Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 09-02-2012 Briefing Charts 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

An Overview of Advanced Concepts for Launch 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Marcus Young and Jason Mossman

5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 50260542 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER Air Force Research Laboratory (AFMC) AFRL/RZSA 10 E. Saturn Blvd. Edwards AFB CA 93524-7680

9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S)

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFMC) AFRL/RZS 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S 5 Pollux Drive NUMBER(S) Edwards AFB CA 93524-7048 AFRL-RZ-ED-VG-2012-030 12. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited (PA #12088).

13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES For presentation at the USC Rusch Undergraduate Honors Colloquium, Los Angeles, CA, 24 Feb 2012.

14. ABSTRACT

This briefing presented an overview of advanced concepts for launch at AFRL. It explored “the” launch problem and “the” nanoLaunch problem, then discussed advanced concepts for cost effective launch/nanoLaunch.

15. SUBJECT TERMS

16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES PERSON Marcus P. Young a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (include area code) SAR 36 Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified N/A Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239.18

An Overview of Advanced Concepts for Launch

Marcus Young Jason Mossman

USC Engineering Honors Colloquium Feb. 24, 2012

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number 12088 Outline

1. Advanced Concepts at AFRL 2. “The” Launch Problem 3. “The” nanoLaunch Problem 4. Advanced Concepts for Cost Effective Launch/nanoLaunch

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 2 1. Advanced Concepts at AFRL

•Air Force Research Lab •Advanced Concepts Group •What is an Advanced Concept?

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 3 Air Force Research Lab

Propulsion Directorate

Aerophysics Branch •AFRL Does: Research and Develop Advanced Tech. Advanced •AFRL Does Not: Manufacture or Use Advanced Tech. Concepts Group Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 4 Advanced Concepts Group

“Enable Future AF Missions Through the Discovery and Demonstration of Emerging Revolutionary Technology”

Propulsion •15-50 Years •Technology Push

Power Thermal Control

Launch Near Space In Space

Small (ms<500kg)

Breakthrough Physics Medium (500kg < ms < 5,000kg)

Large (ms > 5,000kg)

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 5 Advanced Concepts Group USC Activities CHAFF Cubesat Propulsion (Future?)

•Nanosat: mp = 1-10kg. •Cubesat: Adhere to specs. •Lightweight •Cheap. •Fast. •Simple. •Risk O.K. •Wrong Orbit. •Limited/No Propulsion. Significant DV Propulsion is Enabling.

HEATS Air Breathing Satellite (Future?)

•Dip lower (150km) to collect propellant. •Dramatic increase in achievable ∆V. •Scooping at 7.8km/s is difficult problem…

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 6 Advanced Concept

1 Cell Phone Example ()tP = 1+ e−t 1 2 Performance Threshold Key Performance Metric Performance Key

2011 3 Candidate Technology Time 1983

1. Identify Key Metric. ($/Performance) 2. Identify Enabling Threshold. (10x Reduction) 3. Identify Technology Required to Cross Metric. (Many) - Insufficient Modeling Available. - Require Unknown Breakthroughs.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 7 2. “The” Launch Problem

•Space Operations Process •Typical Launch Parameters •Recent Launch Statistics •Lessons Learned

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 8 Delta IV Heavy Launch

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 9 Typical Launch

Typical Launch Magnitudes Typical Launch Breakdowns Falcon I Saturn V Energy Efficiency Payload (LEO) [kg] 450 119,000 ⋅⋅⋅⋅= ηηηηηη Cost [$] $7M $1.1B (2011$) en int pr me gdr (20%) Cost/mass [$/kg] $15,600 $9,200 Height [m] 22.25 110.6 Mass Breakdown Diameter [m] 1.7 10.1 Wet Mass [kg] 3.32x104 3.03x106 lo fuel str ++= MMMM pay Payload Fraction 1.4% 3.9% (85%) (14%) (1-4%)

ThSL [MN] 0.343 34

Pthroat [GW] 0.85 130 $ Efficiency $10,000/kg •Responsiveness: •Now: years  Want: weeks/days. &drl go ++++= $...$$$$ en •Desert Storm: Sept. 1990  Launch Feb. 1992! ve •Solids (Minotaur I)  Launch in Days. (50%) (30%) (20%) (.01%)

•Launch Involves Extreme Numbers and is Extremely Difficult. •Rockets Are an Inefficient and Expensive Way to Launch. •Rockets Are All We Have.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 10 Space Operations

~10% costs due to launch •Small number of unique launches. •Standing army for facilities/vehicles. •Increase total number of launches. •Increase launch/vehicle (all fly same). •Need competition.

~25% costs due to spacecraft •Nearly all space hardware is unique. •Extremely low risk tolerance. •Increase capabilities/mass. •Expand cubesat paradigm. -Well defined specification. -Risk accepted.

~65% costs due to ground ops. •Large ground workforce.  Automation, Simplification.

Space operations is much more than just the launch day. Free launch  still 90% of space operation cost. Cheap launch is a critical part.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 11 MIL and CIV Space Why?

2000 – 2010 Launch Missions (Military) 2000 – 2010 Launch Missions (Civilian) Weather Observation Early Warning 4% 10% 6% Research / Technology Weather 27% Comm 11% 15%

Science / Exploration 49%

PNT Comm NRO 30% 23% 25%

•Wide Range of Applications for Both MIL and CIV. •Core Metric is $ per Mission Performance. •Launch is a Key Component of $.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 12 MIL and CIV Space How Often? 25 2000–2010 U.S. Averages Total MIL MIL 7.4 CIV CIV 8.0 20 (U.S.) 15.4/yr

Worldwide Launches 15 1957 – 2009 4,621 2006 – 2009 259

Launches Launches ‘06-’09 avg. ~65 10 Large Missions •Apollo  13 (6 yrs). 5 •Shuttle  135 (30 yrs). •ISS  105 (13 yrs). •GPS  62 (33 yrs). ------0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 •SBSP(GW) ~ 100 (<10 yrs) Year •Virgin Galactic ~ 70 (suborb)

•~15 Total US Launches/Year (1/4 of World). MIL & non MIL Roughly Equal. •Historical Trends and Candidate Applications Require Few Launches.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 13 MIL and CIV Space Where To? 2000 – 2010 Launch Destination (Military) 2000 – 2010 Launch Destination (Civilian) Highly Elliptical Highly Elliptical MEO 7% 4% 1% LEO 50-85 deg LEO < 50 deg GEO 6% 10% 27% LEO < 50 deg GEO 9% 34%

LEO 50-85 deg 12%

Earth Escape 19%

Polar Polar GPS 27% 20% 24%

•Large Range of Destinations Required for Missions. •Not Condensable to Single Site and Vehicle.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 14 MIL and CIV Space How?

2000 – 2010 Launch Vehicles (Military) 2000 – 2010 Vehicles (Civilian) Titan II Athena Delta IV Titan II Falcon I Falcon I 2% 1% 5% 2% 1% 3% Pegasus Minotaur /Taurus 4% Delta II 5% 28%

Delta IV 11% Delta II Pegasus XL 41% 11%

Atlas II/III 11%

Titan IV Atlas V Atlas V Atlas II/III 14% Minotaur /Taurus 14% 15% 20% 12%

•~10 Vehicles for MIL and CIV launches. •No Launch Vehicle Used More than 5.7x per Year (Delta II).

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 15 “The” Problem Launch Costs Historical Launch Costs (Parkin, 2006) Space Based Solar Power

Need < $100 $/kg. Slight Increase in Rates.

Space Tourism •¾ price for transport. •$23M for 30 day stay. •America’s Space Prize. •Man Rated!

•1/10 Cost May Yield Market Elasticity and Further Reductions. •1/10 Cost May Also Enable Candidate Markets. Reduce Launch Costs by One Order of Magnitude. (At Current Rates)

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 16 Reducing Costs

Cost of Launch Common Solutions (Taylor: AIAA-2004-3561) •Reusability -Payback (~10s).

-High Reliability. -Shuttle: “Weekly Launches” ($/lb.) -Inspect & Rebuild. •SSTO -LOx/LH2: ms < 10% -Advanced Structure/Tank. 10 Launches -Aerospike. $3.2 Billion -Sensitive Design Space. 1 Launch $2 Billion Reusable & SSTO do not guarantee $ savings.

Can We Avoid Launching? Total Cost Total

•Reuse orbital mass  DARPA Phoenix.  MDA Corp. •Avoid launching  Lockheed Martin HAA. R&D, Vehicle, Operations, and LAUNCH RATE.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 17 Recent and Future Options

“Conventional Design” Antares 300 mpay = 10,450kg (LEO) Cost = $56.0M Lox/RP1 250 Simple Design. Limited Parts. 2 successes. 200 > 30 sch. ( 2017) mp,LEO = 5,000kg (2012)

SpaceX Falcon 9 Stratolaunch 150

mp,LEO = 6,100kg 100 (2016) Launch Cost ($ Million) SLS

50

0 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000

Payload to 185km, 28.5 deg (kg) mp,LEO > 70,000kg (2017) •Recent/Active Launch Vehicles Follow Trend and Haven’t Improved Towards Goal. •Near-Term Solutions Hope to Demonstrate Improvement, but do NOT Achieve the Goal.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 18 3. The nanoLaunch Problem

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 19 Nanolaunch Costs

Nanosatellite Operations (Cubesats) 300 Cost = $20.5M + 9,100$/kg*mpay •Nanosatellite: msat = 1 – 10kg. 250 •Cubesat: Adheres to specs. -Simplified Design. 200 -Specified Release. 150 -System Unification. •Very Short Time-Scales. 100

•Very Low Cost. Launch Cost ($ Million) •Accept Higher Risk. 50 •Limited Functionality, Propulsion. $20.5M to launch nothing! •Dropped off in Wrong Orbit with Little/No Propulsion. 0 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 Need Dedicated Nanolauncher. Payload to 185km, 28.5 deg (kg) •Must Maintain Paradigm “Conventional Design” -Simple, Responsive, Very Low Cost •BUT 2-Stage NLV -Cost/kg increases with decreasing size. 10kg to 250km polar. -Uncertainties  hard to accurately deliver. LOX/Densified C3H6. d = 0.65m h = 7m Ths1 = 20kN •Real need for responsive, cost effective nanolaunch. Isps1 = 212s •Acceptable solution possible in near term. Cost ~ $1M. •Better solution needed for long term.

Garvey Spacecraft Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 20 4. Advanced Concepts for Launch New Combustion Reactants Not Covered •Advanced Propellants/Oxidizers •Skyhook •Space Escalator •Air Breathing Concepts •Rotovators Onboard, but Separate Energy Storage •Orbital Ring •Nuclear Thermal Upper Stage •Launch Loop •Space Fountain Beamed Energy •Maglev •Solar Thermal Upper Stage •Ram Accelerator •Laser Booster •Slingatron … •Microwave Booster Launch Assist •Gas Dynamic Guns •Railguns Mechanical Assistance •Space Platforms and Towers •Space Elevator Breakthrough Physics

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 21 Evaluation Technique

Ideal Process Practical Process Concept Cost Performance •Simple, Systematic Evaluation. -Fundamental & Rules of Thumb. Rank #1 ??? ??? •Subset of Probable & Visible Technologies. Rank #2 ??? ??? •Accept Researcher’s Estimates. Difficulties 1. Technical Feasibility. 2. Current Status. (Magnitude of Scaling). -Large uncertainties. 3. System Advantage. Uncertainty > Advantage. -$/kg for payload > 500kg -$/kg for payload < 10kg (Nanolaunch) -Large changes in designs. Only technical considerations Technical Feasibility LTF : No Force Method nTF : No Force Method Magnitude of Scaling nMS : >100x 10-100x <10x LMS : >100x 10-100x <10x Cost Advantage -Rough performance estimates. LCA : None Net? Clear -Cost models inadequate. nCA : None Net? Clear

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 22 Advanced Propellants

Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. ρ. T •Higher stored energy. •Low m usually low I sp ∝ •Higher reaction temp. •High E/m less stable. m •Higher specific impulse. •Propellant reactivity. LTF •Less fuel. •Much more expensive. •More payload or smaller •May need new nozzles. vehicle. •Many requirements to •Fewer stages  SSTO. meet. LMS

LCA

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

E/m = 138MJ/kg nTF Li/F /H mH 2 2 H /mH = 3 60:1 Nozzle. 2 Height = 50m Included Mixing. m = 25MT Isp = 509s pay nMS GLOW = 126MT P = 750 psia c T = 3240K Th = 8,896N ch Isp = 911s nCA

Lithium-Fluorine-Hydrogen Cole: mH Concept Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 23 Air Breathing Concepts

Concept Description Pros Cons Eval.

mox >> mpay •Use atmospheric oxidizer. •Multiple modes required. •Flow path integration. •Avoid bringing O2. (30% for STS). •Ignition/Transition. LTF •More payload or smaller •Low Thrust-to-Weight vehicle. (2 vs. 75) •Advertised at reusable. •Longer flight times. •“SSTO” •Aero-thermal heating. LMS

LCA

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

Scramjet nTF •hydrocarbon •h = 15.2km •M = 4.5 – > 5. •120 kg of JP-7. nMS •∆t = 140s. 136kg to LEO •L = 7.9m. ~$330M for sub-scale •mdry = 1814kg. flight nCA demonstrator X-51 WaveRider GTX Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX Lazarus (G.Tech): $15,000 /kg @ 12/yr!, ~$6B to first vehicle. 24 Propellant: Nuclear

Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. •Fission: 7 x 1013 J/kg •Separate energy storage •Inert mass. •Fusion: 6 x 1014 J/kg and ejecta. •Expensive. •~107 – 108 > chemical •Optimized ejecta. •High T Hydrogen. LTF •High Isp •Radioactive Plume. •High T & High Isp upper •Sociopolitical Concerns. stage. •Reduce 1st stage size. LMS •Enabling for larger interplanetary missions. LCA

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

Hexagonal Fuel Elements Met requirements for manned nTF Mars mission. Pebble Bed Total test time 115 minutes, 24 Radioactive Plume starts. Th/W ~ 25-35:1 Saturn upper stage: 155,000kg Tex = 2750K nMS to LEO. Isp = 925-950s Full power test @ 1100MW. Th = 0.2-0.37MN Tcore: 2272 K. tfire = 200-1050s 25,000 – 250,000lb thrust are nCA validated.

NERVA NRX SNTP Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 25 Solar Thermal Upper Stage

Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. •Upper stage: propulsion •High T operation. and power for satellite. •H2 storage, but •More responsive than EP. methane and ammonia LTF •Moderate Fth, high η. are higher density, lower •Step-down launch vehicle efficiency options •Save up to 60% cost. •0.1 degree pointing •Titan IV  Delta III save accuracy required LMS ~$200M. •Temperature change •Low mass power system during thruster firing •Thermal storage •May require batteries •No safety/political issues as well. LCA •Technology proven in ISUS    SOTV ground tests, TRL = 6. Exemplar Status Envisioned Design Full ground test Propulsion, RAC, power completed in 1997; systems validated by EGD. TRL = 6. Space test planned, 1999… nTF ------•117 burns, 2-27 min •Various sizes envisioned •320 hours RAC at T •14,400 kg, 5000 kg payload •I = 758 s sp •160 N @ 800 s Isp •Texhaust > 2000 K nMS •90% effective heat •30 days LEO – GEO exchanger •15,000 W @ 100 W/kg ------thermionics Tested RAC, system for power gen, distribution, & Uses: Upper stage that stays with satellite, nCA management, solar concentrator, and cryogen refuelable/reusable stage, move defunct or stranded feed/storage satellites, delivery to ISS. ISUS EGD @ NASA LeRC Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 26 Beamed Energy Laser Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. •Leave energy storage on •Low Density Propellant. ground. •Power Levels •Better optimized ejecta. ~1MW/1kg in LEO. LTF •Higher specific impulse. •Many Individual Sources. •Many candidates: •High Installation costs. 1. Heat Exchange •Fixed Installation. 2. Plasma Formation •Weather Limited. LMS 3. Laser Ablation •Laser Clearinghouse. 4. Photon Pressure •Aiming/Tracking. •SSTO •Reusable LCA

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design 10kW Pulsed CO Laser. 2 Multiple 10kw fiber m = 50.62g lasers. d = 12.2cm. nTF 120-160MW total h = 71m. laser power. spin > 10,000rpm. R < 400km. ∆T = 12.7s. 2 P/AHX = 10MW/m nMS Texit = 2000K GLOW = 2800kg. mpay = 80-100kg. System Cost ~ $2 nCA Billion

Lightcraft HX Laser Launch Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 27 Beamed Energy Microwaves Concept Description (Parkin) Pros Cons Eval. •Mass & Energy on ground. •Low density propellant. •Better Optimized Ejecta. •Power Levels •More Payload. ~1MW/1kg in LEO. LTF •Low Consumables Cost. •High installation cost. •SSTO. •Fixed installation. •Reusable. •Many sources required. •Thorough System Analysis. •Beam attenuation. LMS •Weather. -Plasma Formation -Heat Exchanger -SRM Augmentation LCA

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

Propellant: LH2 P = 1MW Ispvac: 800 nTF f = 110 GHz Th/W: 50 ∆ t = 0.175ms mLO: 636kg C = 395 N/MW. m mpay: 30kg nMS m = 9.5 – 19.5g HX size: 3.3x6.7m ∆ x = 30cm PHX: 140MW h < 0.5m fmw: 170 GHz vo < 3m/s BF Cost: $760M nCA

Oda Microwave Thermal Rocket Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 28 Launch Assist Gas Dynamic Gun Launch Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. •Mature technology. •High T,P Operation. •Mass & Energy on ground. •apeak ~ 5,000 gees. LTF •Payload mass fractions. •Vmax ~ 3km/s •Low consumables cost. •Fixed installation. •Aero-thermal Heating. LMS

LCA

Newton Verne Exemplar Status Envisioned Design Stage 1: Gas Dynamic Gun •Gun adequate. Stage 2: Solid Rocket Motor •Martlet improvements. ------nTF •570 HARP Shots. ------•Demonstrated payloads. •mshot = 1300kg •h ~ 180km •m = 90kg (LEO) •m ~ 85kg pay •V ~ 3.6km/s •V = 1.2 – 1.8km/s nMS •∆treload ~ 1 hour •apeak = 5,000 gees. •Cost ~ $3000/launch •Installation cost: $2M (1960s) Project Babylon ------2,000kg to 200km nCA -multipoint ignition system. for $600/kg. -fluid filled SRM. HARP HARP & Martlet 4 Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 29 Launch Assist Railguns Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. •Mass & Energy on Ground. •High Acceleration. •Increased Payload Fraction. •High Installation Cost. •Low Consumables Cost. •Pulsed Power System LTF •Fast Cycle Time. Must be Developed. •Aero-thermal Loads. •Fixed Installation. •Harsh Environment. LMS

LCA

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

•V > 7.5km/s, E > 10GJ, mpay = 250kg, L > 1km, System cost > $1B, 10,000 launches  $530/kg. nTF

nMS IAT-UT 5.4g projectile Vex = 5.2km/s L = 7m launcher nCA Eex = 73kJ

IAT-UT IAT-UT Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 30 Space Platforms and Towers

Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. Circular Orbit Kinetic Energy •Above atmosphere. •Extreme materials 70 Potential Energy Total Mechanical Energy •Above winds. requirements. 60 •Minor ∆V benefit. •Must Support Launch LTF GEO 50 •Multiple candidates. Vehicle & Launch. 1. Solid •Winds/Weather. 40 2. Inflatable •Single Launch Site. 30 3. Electrostatic LMS Pegasus Near 20 Space Space LEO Energy/Mass [MJ/kg] Energy/Mass Mount Dirigible To wer (400km) Everest 10 LCA 0 1 10 100 1000 10000 100000 Altitude [km]

Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

World’s Tallest York Univ. h = 100km Structure (7m) Steel? nTF tbuild < 1yr Cost: “cheap” nMS

nCA Burj Khalifa (828m) Bolonkin Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 31 Space Elevator

Concept Description Pros Cons Eval. •No stored energy required. •Long tether. Ribbon to •No propellant/launch. •L ~ Xx CE Counterweight •Low consumables. •Tensile Strength LTF •Reusable. (~100GPa)! •Installation Cost. Climber Beamed •Micrometeroids/Debris. Power •Weather. LMS •Atomic oxygen. •Power/Beaming Efficiency.

LCA Liftport Exemplar Status Envisioned Design

nTF Space Elevator Games CD&B ~ $10B. h = 1km Celec ~ $250/kg t = 15 years vcl = 2m/s D&B nMS ηDC-DC = 10% 1m wide ribbon. Pcl = 1kw. Tclimb = 8days. mpay = 11,800kg nCA

LaserMotive Brad Edwards Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 32 Breakthrough Physics

Millis, 2009

Status Experimental Advantage Advantage Demonstrated

Device Tested

LENR E/m ~ 9x1016 J/kg Asymmetric m/year ~ 10ng $/m ~ $25B/g

Tested Capacitors E/V ~ 1011part/cm3 Mechanism Mechanism Tajmar stor (15kJ/l)

FD

-10 Estor/Ein ~ 10 Anti- matter Known Known Method Untested Breakthrough Casimir Physics Force

Theoretical Method Unknown Status Conjecture Unproven Proven Physics Unproven Proven Concept Calculated (What if?) Physics No Concept Concept No Advantage Advantage •Large Number of Concepts. •Some May be Useful for Propulsion in the Long Term. •Nothing Immediately Applicable to Saving $$$. Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 33 Summary for Launch

Concept LTF LMS LCA Primary Challenges for Launch Alternative Mission

Advanced Propellants Many Requirements, Harsh Conditions, Storage. --- Air Breathing Thermal Loads, Time-scales, Th/W. --- Nuclear Thermal System Mass, Hot Hydrogen Space Tug Solar Thermal Hydrogen Storage, Hot Hydrogen. Space Tug Laser Aiming, Absorbing, Operations. --- Microwave Beam Combining, Propagation, µW conversion. --- Gun Launch High gees, Power Sources, Aerothermal Loads. Rapid, Robust Payload Railgun High gees, Power Sources, Loads, System. --- Space Platforms Unfeasible. --- Space Elevator Materials, O, µmeteoroids, weather, vibrations.. Asteroid Mining Breakthrough Physics No known feasible concepts. ---

•Save $ “Now”. Solar Thermal Upper Stage. •Build “Now”. NTP Upper Stage, Gun Launch. •Research Now. BEP (Laser, Microwave), Launch Assist, Adv. Propellants. •Avoid. Complexity, Multiple Breakthroughs, •Alternative Missions. Space Tug or Rapid Delivery of Robust Payloads.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 34 Summary for nanoLaunch

Concept NTF NMS NCA Primary Challenges for Launch Alternative Mission Advanced Propellants Many Requirements, Harsh Conditions, Storage. --- Air Breathing Thermal Loads, Time-scales, Th/W. --- Nuclear Thermal System Mass, Hot Hydrogen Space Tug Solar Thermal Hydrogen Storage, Hot Hydrogen. Space Tug Laser Aiming, Absorbing, Operations. Rapid, Small Payload Microwave Beam Combining, Propagation, µW conversion. Rapid, Small Payload Gun Launch High gees, Power Sources, Aerothermal Loads. Rapid, Robust Payload Railgun High gees, Power Sources, Loads, System. Robust, Small Payload Space Platforms Unfeasible. --- Space Elevator Materials, O, µmeteoroids, weather, vibrations.. Asteroid Mining Breakthrough Physics No known feasible concepts. ---

•Save $ “Now”. NONE. •Build “Now”. Gun Launch. •Research Now. BEP (Laser, Microwave), Launch Assist, Adv. Propellants. •Alternative Missions. Space Tug or Rapid Delivery of Many Small Payloads. •Cubesat Paradigm. (simple, specs., accepted risk, cheap) must be kept.

Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. PA Clearance Number XXXXX 35