Topic
Lunar space elevator
About: Lunar space elevator is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 10 publications have been published within this topic receiving 29 citations. The topic is also known as: lunar spacelift.
Papers
1 Jan 2004
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the potential payoffs of using a lunar space elevator to launch large amounts of lunar material into high Earth orbit, and do a top-level system analysis to evaluate the potential payoff.
Abstract: This paper examines lunar space elevators, a concept originated by the lead author, for lunar development. Lunar space elevators are flexible structures connecting the lunar surface with counterweights located beyond the L1 or L2 Lagrangian points in the Earthmoon system. A lunar space elevator on the moon’s near side, balanced about the L1 Lagrangian point, could support robotic climbing vehicles to release lunar material into high Earth orbit. A lunar space elevator on the moon’s far side, balanced about L2, could provide nearly continuous communication with an astronomical observatory on the moon’s far side, away from the optical and radio interference from the Earth. Because of the lower mass of the moon, such lunar space elevators could be constructed of existing materials instead of carbon nanotubes, and would be much less massive than the Earth space elevator. We review likely spots for development of lunar surface operations (south pole locations for water and continuous sunlight, and equatorial locations for lower delta-V), and examine the likely payload requirements for Earth-to-moon and moon-to-Earth transportation. We then examine its capability to launch large amounts of lunar material into high Earth orbit, and do a top-level system analysis to evaluate the potential payoffs of lunar space elevators.
14 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors considered 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.
7 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that if the pendulum length significantly exceeds the Moon radius, then the radial equilibria at which the inverted pendulum is located along the straight line connecting the Earth and Moon centers are Lyapunov stable.
Abstract: In the usual everyday life, it is well known that the inverted pendulum is unstable and is ready to fall to “all four sides,” to the left and to the right, forward and backward. The theoretical studies and the lunar experience of moon robots and astronauts also confirms this property. The question arises: Is this property preserved if the pendulum is “very, very long”? It turns out that the answer is negative; namely, if the pendulum length significantly exceeds the Moon radius, then the radial equilibria at which the pendulum is located along the straight line connecting the Earth and Moon centers are Lyapunov stable and the pendulum does not fall in any direction at all. Moreover, if the pendulum goes beyond the collinear libration points, then it can be extended and manufactured from cables. This property was noted by F. A. Tsander and underlies the so-called lunar space elevator (e.g., see [1]). In the plane of the Earth and Moon orbits, there are some other equilibria which turn out to be unstable. The question is, Are there equilibria at which the pendulum is located outside the orbital plane? In this paper, we show that the answer is positive, but such equilibria are unstable in the secular sense.
4 citations
TL;DR: The concept of a space elevator dates back to Tsilokovsky, but they are not commonly considered in near-term plans for space exploration, perhaps because a terrestrial elevator would not be possible without considerable improvements in tether material.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the lower terminus velocities of a non-stationary lunar space elevator were achieved with the elevator center-of-mass 6000-10,000 km above the lunar surface.
1 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |