Non-Equatorial Uniform-Stress Space Elevators
Abstract
Non-equatorial space elevators are interesting as they give more freedom for anchor location, avoid the highly occupied geosynchronous orbit and the areas of highest radiation in the Van Allen belts. We review the static equation for a uniform-stress tether, and use it to study the tapering of a uniform-stress tether in a general potential field. We then focus on a rotating coulomb potential and study the range of latitudes that are allowed for a uniform-stress space elevator. Finally, we look at a few practical issues that are raised by non-equatorial space elevators.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2509.16231,
title = {Non-Equatorial Uniform-Stress Space Elevators},
author = {Blaise Gassend},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.16231},
year = {2025}
}
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