Why we need a space elevator

The goals of and vision for development of a space elevator have been discussed repeatedly. However, why we should develop one has been glossed over. This paper will focus upon the major issue—why build a space elevator infrastructure? It considers why we need a space elevator, what missions it would enable and how far it would reduce costs. There is no doubt that some major missions would be enhanced or significantly enabled by a space elevator infrastructure. Global communications, energy, monitoring of the Earth, global/national security, planetary defense, and exploration beyond low-Earth orbit are a few examples. In the end, if we are serious about extending space development and avoiding limitations on the human spirit, the reason we should build a space elevator is because we must!     

Geostationary station keeping control of a space elevator during initial cable deployment

This paper presents a basic concept to derive an orbital control strategy to achieve the full deployment and the geostationary station keeping of a space elevator during its initial cable deployment. The space elevator model is composed of a main spacecraft, a sinker mass and a massive cable connecting them. The cable elasticity, flexibility and taper of the cross-sectional area are omitted for simplification. A reference trajectory is designed so that the space elevator and its center of mass ascend vertically along the geostationary position with keeping the geostationary orbital rate. From the reference trajectory analyses, an orbital control that leads the space elevator orbit to the reference one is derived. However it is found that the reference trajectory is unstable throughout the deployment and a linear feedback control is introduced for stabilization. It is also clarified that the libration destabilizes the orbital control because the orbital acceleration caused by the libration always acts in the opposite direction to the orbital control. Therefore, a libration control is also introduced to stabilize the coupled orbital and librational motions. Numerical simulation result clearly shows that these controls facilitate the full deployment and the geostationary station keeping of the space elevator within the feasible thrust force and amount of propellant.     

The space elevator in the context of current space exploration policy

The space elevator is an advanced space transportation system that someday could replace chemical rockets as humanity's primary means of reaching Earth's orbit. However, before this can occur, a number of enabling technologies will need to be developed, and a variety of economic and policy questions must be addressed. The goal of this paper is to examine the feasibility of the space elevator in the context of current space exploration policy. The paper reviews the space elevator's critical enabling technologies and presents their wide variety of applications. The challenges of funding the space elevator and of building support for the program are discussed. The potential for international cooperation is considered, and the role of the space elevator in the Vision for Space Exploration is examined. The paper argues that each of the space elevator's component technologies ought to be developed independently to meet separate nearer-term objectives. The space elevator should be just one of many applications considered in making decisions to pursue research and development related to each component technology. The enabling technologies, once mature, might eventually be integrated in the construction of a full-scale space elevator from the Earth's surface to geosynchronous orbit and beyond.     

On a lunar space elevator

We consider 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. It accelerates the load to be lifted to the speed of the cable end. Loads to be delivered are either put on the vehicle and slowed down by it or they are slowed down by a sand braking technique in a mare terrain. It is technically possible to operate this transport system nearly without fuel supply from Earth. We calculate various steel cable dimensions for a static stress maximum of $\text{1}\text{5}\text{th}$ of the tensile strength. The process of takeover is considered in detail. Five ways of eliminating the adverse large cable elongation due to the load are described. The touchdown process and behaviour of the cable after disconnection are analysed. The positive difference between the speed of the load at takeover and cable end can excite a large inplane swing motion. We propose to damp it by a dissipative pulley that hangs in a loop of wire leading to the ends of two beams mounted on the space station tangentially to the orbit, the pulley's core being connected with the load. Roll librations are damped by energy losses in the elastic beams; damping can be reinforced by viscous beam elements and/or controlled out-of-plane motions of the beams. We argue in favour of the possibility of fast deployment. The problems of vehicle vibrations and agglutination at sand braking blades are underlined and their combined experimental investigation is suggested.     

天梯动力学与控制研究进展

简要介绍了天梯系统的组成和初始部署形式。在此基础上，针对天梯初始部署和运行中存在的复杂动力学与控制问题，分别从天梯动力学建模、天梯稳定性、天梯绳索振荡、攀爬器运动引起的绳索振荡及振荡抑制、天梯初始部署动力学五个方面分析归纳了天梯动力学与控制的发展状况，最后对天梯动力学与控制的发展方向进行了总结及展望。     

Experiments and numerical simulations of an electrodynamic tether deployment from a spool-type reel using thrusters

The amount of space debris is ever increasing, and pollution of the space environment has become a serious problem that can no longer be ignored. Consequently, the active removal of large space debris from crowded economically useful orbits should begin as soon as possible. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has been investigating an active debris removal system that employs highly efficient electrodynamic tether (EDT) technology for orbital transfer. This study investigates the tether deployment from a spool-type reel using thrusters by means of numerical simulations of an EDT system. The thrusters are used in order to ensure the deployment of a tether with the length of several kilometers. In the simulations using a multiple mass tether model, the key parameters are estimated from various on-ground experiments. By means of the numerical simulations, the dynamics of tether deployment is studied and requirements of thruster needed for the deployment, such as the thrust forces and the periods of thruster activation, are clarified.     

The effect of climber transit on the space elevator dynamics

The space elevator offers an alternate and efficient method for space travel. It will have two main components. The first component is the tether (or the ribbon), which extends from the Earth to an equatorial satellite at an altitude beyond the geostationary orbit, and is fixed to a base on the surface of the Earth at its lower end. The second component is the climber, which scales the ribbon, transporting payloads to space. An important issue for effective operation of the space elevator will be to understand its dynamics. This paper attempts to develop a realistic and yet simple planar model for this purpose. The basic response of the ribbon to climber transit is determined. Both analytical and numerical results are presented. Specific climbing procedures are devised based on these results so as to minimize the adverse effects of climber transit on the ribbon.     

非柔性结构太空梯的构想

文章简略介绍太空梯的概念,概述了目前世界上太空梯系统的状况和研制遇到的普遍困难.由于现有的纳米技术和材料以及加工水平还不能满足缆绳式太空梯的要求,因此文章提出建造一种非柔性结构的太空梯的构想,这样的太空梯虽然运行效率不及缆绳式太空梯,但所要求的材料相对容易得到.     

Lunar transportation scenarios utilising the Space Elevator

The Space Elevator (SE) concept has begun to receive an increasing amount of attention within the space community over the past couple of years and is no longer widely dismissed as pure science fiction. In light of the renewed interest in a, possibly sustained, human presence on the Moon and the fact that transportation and logistics form the bottleneck of many conceivable lunar missions, it is interesting to investigate what role the SE could eventually play in implementing an efficient Earth to Moon transportation system. The elevator allows vehicles to ascend from Earth and be injected into a trans-lunar trajectory without the use of chemical thrusters, thus eliminating gravity loss, aerodynamic loss and the need of high thrust multistage launch systems. Such a system therefore promises substantial savings of propellant and structural mass and could greatly increase the efficiency of Earth to Moon transportation. This paper analyzes different elevator-based trans-lunar transportation scenarios and characterizes them in terms of a number of benchmark figures. The transportation scenarios include direct elevator-launched trans-lunar trajectories, elevator launched trajectories via L1 and L2, as well as launch from an Earth-based elevator and subsequent rendezvous with lunar elevators placed either on the near or on the far side of the Moon. The benchmark figures by which the different transfer options are characterized and evaluated include release radius (RR), required delta v, transfer times as well as other factors such as accessibility of different lunar latitudes, frequency of launch opportunities and mission complexity. The performances of the different lunar transfer options are compared with each other as well as with the performance of conventional mission concepts, represented by Apollo.     

带射频电缆的可展开天线阵在轨展开动力学

空间存在射频电缆穿越可展开部件工作区域的情形,这会对部件的展开特性造成较大的影响(特别是无源可展开机构),甚至会影响整个航天器任务。文章以某卫星带有半刚性射频电缆的无源可展开天线阵为例,提出了其动力学建模仿真流程,并建立在轨展开动力学模型;采用该模型开展了在轨展开动力学特性的仿真研究,同时与在轨实测数据进行了比对。结果表明,仿真数据与在轨实测数据基本一致,准确地评估了射频电缆对可展开天线阵在轨展开特性的影响,仿真评估方法有效。该建模仿真流程同样适用于卫星其他类型可展开部件的展开特性研究。     

Development of HEP-XXMF Series Hall Thrusters in BICE

Hall thruster is a type of electric propulsion thruster which is often regarded as a moderate specific impulse space propulsion technology and is used primarily for station keeping and orbit maintenance tasks. Magnetic field is the most important aspect in Hall thruster's design. Each time the performance improvement of Hall thrusters is accompanied with the regeneration of magnetic field design. Now, all the major space nations treat the magnetic field design as the key technology for Hall thrusters, and many Hall thrusters have emerged in recent years, for example, BPT-4000 and NASA-173 M. In China, based on magnetic focus technology, the Beijing Institute of Control Engineering(BICE) has been developing Hall thrusters ranged from hundreds of watts to 5 kilowatts, including the 1500 W HEP-100 MF and the 5 k W HEP-140 MF Hall thrusters. This paper briefly reviews the development of the HEP-XXMF series Hall thruster. The principle of the Hall thruster, the design methods and the current status of HEP-100 MF and HEP-140 MF are discussed in the paper.     

阳极层推力器的研究现状与发展趋势

通过对阳极层推力器的工作原理、特点、羽流特性以及国内外阳极层推力器的研究现状与发展趋势的介绍和分析,指出了阳极层推力器是目前应用前景最好的电推进器之一,并且阳极层推力器正朝着更高功率和/或更高比冲的方向发展。随着空间技术的飞速发展,对高功率和/或高比冲的阳极层推力器的需求将越来越迫切,世界各国在这上面的投入也将越来越大。     

卫星电缆网内部充电效应仿真分析

电缆结构作为最常见的卫星上的介质-金属结构,只受到卫星蒙皮的保护,其内部充电效应须引起重视。针对卫星上常见的电缆网结构进行了分析,使用内部充电三维仿真软件计算分析了GEO卫星上几种不同型号电缆对应不同蒙皮厚度下的充电效应,并对弯曲电缆、蒙皮孔洞处的电缆、电缆固定件等结构的简化模型进行了仿真分析。结果显示,在GEO恶劣电子环境下,单一卫星电缆会因为内部充电效应带上一定的负电位,在绝缘皮较厚或电缆处于蒙皮孔洞处等情况下,充电负电位会升高;电缆固定件介质块的充电电位与介质材料的尺寸有关,会带来较高的放电风险。     

大气层内拦截弹脉冲发动机消耗量离线计算

采用姿控式直接侧向力/气动力复合控制方式可以显著提高大气层内拦截弹的机动能力,但由于产生侧向推力的脉冲发动机数量有限,必须考虑减少使用数量的问题.除了最优化脉冲发动机点火分配逻辑之外,充分利用气动力也是一种可能的方案.本文基于弹体运动的线性化模型,探讨了在给定攻角响应时间的情况下,最大限度地利用气动力能否节省脉冲发动机点火数目,并对攻角响应所需用的脉冲发动机数量做了离线计算,给出了计算公式.     

基于羽流效应分析的航天器发动机布局设计研究

为解决由航天器姿控发动机等带来的羽流热效应问题,文章通过仿真得到了在不同的发动机布局下航天器表面的羽流热流密度分布情况,通过增大发动机的推力线角度和安装点高度,可以使得发动机羽流核心区远离航天器表面,从而降低喷流对航天器表面的加热效应。综合考虑控制力矩及推力损失、布局包络和发动机支架设计等因素,对某航天器发动机布局进行了优化设计及羽流热防护设计。     

Equilibrium positions of a weight on a cable fixed to a dumbbell-shaped space station moving along a circular geocentric orbit

The motion of a space object in the gravitational field of the Earth is considered. The object consists of an extended space station and a weight, which is free to move along the cable fixed to the ends of the station. It is assumed that the station is composed of two masses coupled by a weightless rod, while the cable is weightless and non-stretched. The equations of motion of such a system are derived for the case when the motion proceeds in a single plane, while the center of mass of the system moves along a circular geocentric orbit. The conditions of the cable tension (conditions of being on tie) are derived. The phase portrait of the weight motion along the cable is constructed when the station is oriented to the attracting center or is perpendicular to this position. The possibility to leave the tie in this case is analyzed. Equilibrium configurations of the system are found, i.e., such motions of the object under consideration at which the weight does not change its position relative to the station. Lyapunov stability of such configurations is analyzed for two situations: when the station is composed of equal masses and when masses at the ends of the station are different. In particular, for the case of different masses it is established that there exist such positions of equilibrium at which the dumbbell is located at an angle to the direction to the attracting center. In some cases these positions can be stabilized (if the weight is fixed on the cable).     

霍尔推力器点火过程研究现状及展望

为了总结霍尔推力器点火启动过程方面的研究成果，梳理未来的研究方向，对国内外相关研究进展进行了综述，详细分析了霍尔推力器点火启动过程及其关键研究点，总结了霍尔推力器点火启动过程中阴极电子源效应、点火启动条件、点火启动过程及等离子体演化过程、点火冲击电流、抑制方法以及点火过程向稳态转换过程的基本概况和发展趋势。面向未来深空探测、商业航天等空间推进任务，提出了霍尔推力器点火启动过程值得研究的问题和方向。     

Between heaven and earth: The legal challenges of human space travel

Since the first space object was launched into orbit in 1957, humankind has been engaged in a constant effort to realise ever more ambitious plans for space travel. Probably the single most important element in this ongoing evolution is the development of technology capable of transporting large numbers of passengers into outer space on a commercial basis. Within the foreseeable future, space will no longer be the sole domain of professionally trained astronauts or the exceptionally wealthy.The prospects for both suborbital and orbital private human access to space give rise to some interesting and difficult legal questions. It also opens up an exciting opportunity to develop an adequate system of legal regulation to deal with these activities. The existing international legal regimes covering air and space activities are not well suited to large-scale commercial access to space, largely because they were developed at a time when such activities were not a principal consideration in the mind of the drafters. The lack of legal clarity represents a major challenge and must be addressed as soon as possible, to provide for appropriate standards and further encourage (not discourage) such activities.This article will examine some of the more pressing legal issues associated with the regulation of space transportation of passengers on a commercial basis, seen in the light of Article 1 of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which states that the ‘exploration and use of outer space […] shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries […] and shall be the province of all mankind’. An appropriate balance must be found between the commercial and technological opportunities that will arise and the principles upon which the development of international space law have thus far been based.     

螺旋波等离子体推进器原理研究

电推进作为一种新型推进技术已受到国内外航天界的广泛关注,且已成功应用于卫星、深空探测器等任务。在众多电推进器中,螺旋波等离子体推进器以其无须电极、比冲大、使用寿命长、性能高等优点成为近年来人们重点研究的对象。文章首先从螺旋波等离子体推进器的发展历程、研究现状和发展态势等角度进行了系统介绍;然后对此种推进器的结构组成以及推进原理进行了阐述;并对几种典型离子加速方式进行了研讨;最后对螺旋波等离子体推进器的应用前景进行了展望。     

Control system design of the Korean lunar lander demonstrator

In preparation for the lunar exploration program scheduled to be launched during the early 2020s in Korea, a lunar lander demonstrator, which will be used for developing and demonstrating lunar landing technologies, is being developed. The control configuration of the lunar lander demonstrator is determined with the consideration of available technologies and flight requirements. It is suggested that altitude control be achieved by clustering five 200 N monopropellant thrusters and attitude control with eight 3 N thrusters. A control algorithm designed to follow a predefined trajectory is developed using quaternion feedback. Control system configuration and control logic are verified by using computer simulations. Simulation results show that a soft landing with a touchdown velocity of less than 3 m/s is achieved. Attitude control performance is also verified using computer simulations. The developed control configuration will be further tested by hardware in the loop simulations and ground based firing tests during the next phase of the study.