Space Tethers and Space Elevators [Hardcover]

Michel van Pelt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0387765557 | ISBN-13: 978-0387765556 | Edition: 1

This detailed account of the possibilities of tethers in space, from very practical applications to (near) science fiction, gives an overview of the past, present and future of space tether development and presents the various concepts, ranging from those feasible in the near future to extremely innovative and challenging ideas. It shows how space tethers have already been used to stabilize spacecraft using tidal forces and to generate artificial gravity using a spinning system with a spacecraft connected to a counterweight via a cable. Tethers can also generate electricity by dragging spacecraft through the Earth’s magnetosphere, as was attempted with partial success during two Space Shuttle missions. Using electrodynamic forces, conductive tethers can also accelerate or brake a spacecraft.

Probably the most exciting tether concept is the space elevator, consisting of an incredibly strong long cable that stretches from the Earth’s surface into space. Solar powered "climber" machines, which are already under development, could use such a cable to haul cargo into orbit. The author also describes how space tethers can change the orbit of satellites, by effectively moving their center of gravity through the deployment of long cables. Tethers rotating at high speed can be used to accelerate or slow down spacecraft that briefly latch to them. In principle, such "momentum exchange" tethers can be used to fly a space probe from low Earth orbit all the way into orbit around Mars, without the need for rocket propulsion. A tether can also provide scientific information on the magnetosphere of the planet it’s orbiting.

Michel van Pelt explains the principle of space tethers: what they are and how they can be used in space. He introduces non-technical space enthusiasts to the various possibilities of space tethers, the technological challenges, the potential benefits and their feasibility. He illustrates how, because of their inherent simplicity, space tethers have the potential to make space travel much cheaper, while ongoing advances in tether material technology may make even seemingly far-fetched ideas a reality in the not too distant future.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews:

"Michel Van Pelt’s book Space Tethers and Space Elevators (Copernicus/Praxis, 2009), a treatment of a technology we seldom consider in these pages … . his book is a must read for those of us interested in deep space development. … This is enlightening reading, and I’m glad to see a book focused on tethers … coming onto the popular science market. … useful for creating artificial gravity on long space missions and, interestingly, sweeping away dangerous charged particles around a spacecraft." (Centauri Dreams, August, 2009)

"In this book, Michel explains what the advantages of tethers in space are and the benefits they can provide, including Space debris mitigation and tether propulsion. … I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned much from it. It will be very valuable to anyone who wants to learn about alternatives to using rockets to get into space or space tethers and/or space elevators in general. Michel van Pelt’s book is a very valuable addition to the ever-growing body of literature on this subject. Highly recommended." (The Space Elevator Blog, December, 2009)

“Author Michel van Pelt makes clear in Space Tethers and Space Elevators … interesting thing that tether technology can do. Tethers could also be used as a slingshot to boost satellites into interplanetary orbits, improve astronauts’ health by supplying artificial gravity, and clean up space junk by using ‘tether terminators’ to drag obsolete satellites earthwards until they burn up on re-entering the atmosphere. … Logical, thorough and packed with fascinating information, this slim volume would make a valuable addition to any space enthusiast’s library.” (Physics World, February, 2010) “If any book can be said to be ahead of its time, this is it. … van Pelt goes on to describe various space-tether concepts, some feasible and some verging on the fanciful. … For anyone interested in learning more about the fascinating possibilities offered by space tethers, this well-written, clearly illustrated book is the ideal introduction.” (Peter Bond, The Observatory, Vol. 130 (1214), February, 2010) “This review of space tethers and space elevators provides a good description of the history of the application of tethers in space missions, along with the challenges faced in further exploitation of this technology. … The book is very much written for the nontechnical person. … Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers.” (D. B. Spencer, Choice, Vol. 47 (5), January, 2010)

From the Back Cover

On Earth, tethers or ropes or lines are used primarily to bind things to each other. In Space, tethers can also be used to attach spacecraft to each other, but this technology involves much more than simply tying things together. Ropes can also be used to climb, to reach places higher up â maybe all the way into space and in fact this concept exists in the form of a space elevator, consisting of a long, incredibly strong cable that stretches from the Earth's surface into space. Solar powered "climber" machines, which are already under development, could use such a cable to haul cargo into orbit. Space tethers could also be used as a means of transportation, to swing from one place to another. In stories on Earth, Tarzan uses liana vines to swing from tree to tree, and there are many serious ideas for using tethers in space in a somewhat similar way: swinging satellites into another orbit, or even passing them from tether to tether all the way to the Moon and Mars! Although this sounds like science fiction, many space missions using tethers have already flown. Most of them have been relatively small and experimental, but in the near future space tethers have the potential to revolutionize space flight.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 215 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (May 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387765557
• ISBN-13: 978-0387765556
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #528,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michel van Pelt (1972) lives in The Netherlands, where he works as an engineer at ESTEC, the technical centre of the European Space Agency (ESA). He is an editor of the Dutch space magazine "Ruimtevaart" and author of the books "Space Tourism; Adventures in Earth Orbit and Beyond", "Space Invaders; How Robotic Spacecraft Explore the Solar System" and "Space Tethers and Space Elevators". He also writes about Mars exploration for the Dutch space and astronomy magazine "Astruim". In addition he gives lectures on interplanetary exploration, Mars missions and space tourism.

As an ESA engineer, he prepares cost estimates and analyses proposals for new space missions, satellites and launch vehicles. He also regularly works on the design of new space missions in ESA's Concurrent Design Facility, acting as team leader, system engineer or cost engineer.

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars A Useful Introduction to an Esoteric Spaceflight Topic, July 18, 2011

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This review is from: Space Tethers and Space Elevators (Hardcover)

Michel van Pelt's "Space Tethers and Space Elevators" provides a good introduction to a spaceflight subject that probably only very few people understand. Even fewer people realize the benefits that might accrue if Earth's spacefaring nations were to replace their loud, smoky, vibrating, polluting, marginally reliable "rocket ships" as satellite launchers and instead use applications of tether technology to launch their payloads into space. That there are advantages to using tethers and "space elevators" instead of rockets is undeniable. Equally undeniable, however, is that space tethers have their own sets of issues and problems, and most of their applications depend crucially on super-strong yet lightweight materials that have not yet been invented, and may well be unobtainable.

"Space Tethers and Space Elevators" is very well-organized and clearly written, and it contains just the right level of technical depth to make it accessible to most readers who know anything at all about spaceflight. Having had a long career in engineering satellites and spacecraft (among other things), and with a spaceflight library running to several hundred volumes, I still knew almost nothing about tethers when I began this book. My knowledge of space elevators was limited to Arthur C. Clarke's novelized treatment in "The Fountains of Paradise." Now, having read Mr. van Pelt's work, I feel that I could hold my own in any cocktail-party discussion of the subject.

There are many potential uses of tethers in space. Theoretically, they can put satellites into orbit from the ground up, move them into higher or lower orbits, generate electricity, provide artificial gravity, de-orbit re-entry vehicles and even sweep up hazardous charged particles from planetary radiation belts. You'll learn about all these applications, and others, in detail in "Space Tethers and Space Elevators." Much of it seems like science fiction (well, I guess it is, today), but the technology is pretty well understood (if not yet available), and Mr. van Pelt's lucid explanations make the concepts clear and understandable--even the counterintuitive aspects of some of them. Illustrated throughout with line drawings and photographs, "Space Tethers and Space Elevators" is probably as good a primer on the topic as is currently available.

So I recommend "Space Tethers and Space Elevators" if you want to learn about a possible future revolution in how we Earth-dwellers can gain access to space. Unfortunately, however (and this does NOT affect my opinion of the book), I personally believe none of the tether systems Mr. van Pelt describes will ever be built, except possibly as very small-scale test or demonstration projects. We humans seem to be actively turning our backs on spaceflight these days in the face of many other huge global problems that we face. We demonstrate absolutely no ability to get along with each other, and the chances of any nation (especially the U.S., in today's dysfunctional political environment) committing to a project that would cost billions and span multiple government administrations is virtually nil. Grandiose and expensive schemes like space elevators and space colonies, in my opinion, are very unlikely to come to pass, at least in the lifetimes of anyone now living. It's sad to say, but I think these concepts are destined to remain forever just what they are today--science fiction.