Exponential Tethers for Accelerated Space Elevator Deployment
Applied Physics
2024-12-24 v1 Space Physics
Abstract
An exponential space elevator is a space elevator with a tether cross-section that varies exponentially with altitude. With such an elevator it is possible to reel in tether material at one end of the elevator while reeling out at the other end, without changing the overall taper profile. I show how to use this property to build up or clone a space elevator much more efficiently than with standard climber-based methods.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2412.17198,
title = {Exponential Tethers for Accelerated Space Elevator Deployment},
author = {Blaise Gassend},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.17198},
year = {2024}
}
Comments
This paper was first published in Proc. of the 3rd International Space Elevator Conference, June 2004, reprinted on arXiv by permission of Bradley Edwards former director at ISR