Design a Space Elevator
Bruce Mackenzie
Thu Jan 8, 11am-12:00pm, W20-445
Tue Jan 13, Thu Jan 15, Tue Jan 20, 11am-12:00pm, 5-134
Thu Jan 22, 11am-12:00pm, 5-233
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Help design a passenger carrying "space elevator". A space elevator is a ribbon made of super strong carbon-nanotubes. It could be lowered from a geosynchronous satellite to the Earth. Simple 'climber' vehicles would climb up the ribbon, to most any orbit, or to be thrown on interplanetary trajectories. Depending on student's interests, we may design the layout of a passenger or cargo carrying elevator climber, or consider the dynamics, materials, finance, risk, or radiation shielding.
Contact: Bruce Mackenzie, (781) 944-7027, BMackenzie@alum.mit.edu
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Overview of Space Elevators
Bruce Mackenzie
Wed Jan 14, 07-09:00pm, Building 33 Lounge
Thu Jan 15, 01-02:00pm, Building 33 Lounge
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
An overview of a proposed "space elevator", its feasibility and impact on space exploration and utilization. It may soon be possible to drop a 'ribbon' from a geosynchronous satellite, and climb up. Such a space elevator was only in the realm of science fiction, until the discovery of carbon nanotubes, which may be strong enough to support their own weight for that distance. A space elevator would completely change the economics of satellite launch by lowering the cost of geosynchronous (geo) satellites by climbing beyond geo, craft would be thrown throughout the inner solar system. Human exploration and settlement of mars and asteroids would be possible much earlier than with rockets.
Contact: Bruce Mackenzie, (781) 944-7027, BMackenzie@alum.mit.edu
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