Editor’s Note

Dear Friend,

Welcome to the July, 2016 edition of the ISEC Newsletter.

All efforts are now focused on the upcoming ISEC Space Elevator Conference (you ARE going, aren't you?).  This newsletter has an updated Conference announcement and the announcement of the 2017 Study Topic

Also in this issue are the current iterations of the President's Corner, The History Committee report and the "Why Space Elevators " column.  We also have notices of several new Volunteer positions open (a great way to help this project, even if you're not a scientist or engineer), a new mailing address and a reminder that all ISEC reports are available FOR FREE in electronic (pdf) format.

Finally, this newsletter provides links to a couple of YouTube videos where ISEC President Dr. Peter Swan talks about what a space elevator is and the challenges in making it happen.

If you want to help us make a space elevator happen, JOIN ISEC and get involved! A space elevator would truly revolutionize life on earth and open up the solar system and beyond to all of us.

Please don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook, FOLLOW US on Twitter, and enjoy the photos and videos that we’ve posted on Flickr and YouTube, all under our Social Identity of ISECdotORG.

Thank you! 

ISEC

President's Corner

As we are getting ready for our August Conference, I am trying to strengthen our organization.  It is simple, more sharing of information (with leads identified) should lead to a better environment and a stronger organization. ISEC lives by its volunteers and hopes that each reader thinks about joining one of the identified areas for fun, excitement, and a learning experience.  Our current ISEC team is made up of:

Peter Swan, President
Skip Penny, Vice President & Chief Systems Engineer
John Knapman, Chair, Research Committee
Ted Semon, President Emeritus & Treasurer
David Horn, Chair, ISEC Conference
Dennis Wright, Study Lead
Mark Dodrill, Webmaster
Fitzer Fitzgerald, Chief, Space Elevator Architect
Vern Hall, Earth Port Harbor Master
Anders Jorgensen, Editor-in-chief, CLIMB Journal
Peter Glaskowsky, Contributing Editor
Peter Robinson, Lead, Dynamics Research
Paul Phister, Lead, Communications Technology & Infrastructure
Paula Smith, Chair, History Committee
Martin Lades, European Representative
Bryan Laubscher, Lead, Material Research

"Thank-you" to each of the above "ISEC Players" for your efforts! Hopefully, this will  re-enforce your concepts and plans - with my support.  

Keep Climbing my Friends -- 

Pete Swan

The 2016 ISEC Space Elevator Conference is Almost Here

The ISEC 2016 Space Elevator Conference is just around the corner!  Join us August 19th through August 21st, 2016 at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington.

Online registration ends August 14, 2016, so be sure to register soon!

The theme of this year's conference is the "Apex Anchor, Geo Node, and Communication Architecture."  Vernon Hall, ISEC's resident Earth Port Harbor Master, will be presenting the keynote speech on "How to Execute Transportation Infrastructure Development."  Check out the full program agenda and register today. 

The Family Science Fest portion of the conference will be held Saturday, August 20th. This event is in tandem with the technical conference and is included in the Museum of Flight admission price. The Family Science Fest includes a youth robotics competition, public Space Elevator 101 and 201 presentations, exhibits from, science organizations, science clubs, and much more.  This is a great event for the whole family while you explore the Museum of Flight.

This year at the Museum of Flight, as part of Boeing's centennial, the travelling "Above and Beyond" exhibition will be at the museum. This exhibit includes a simulated space elevator ride with ISEC's David Horn as a technical advisor.

We can't thank our "GEO" level sponsors enough, the Museum of Flight and Microsoft Corporation, for their ongoing support for this conference. We couldn't do this conference without them.

We look forward to seeing you at the conference!

ISEC 2017 Study Topic

Each year ISEC chooses a particular topic for study, a topic that is the focus of the yearly conference and that will also be the subject explored and written up in the yearly report.  Previous topics have included Space Debris Mitigation - Space Elevator Survivability (2009-2010), Research and thought targeted towards the goal of a 30 MYuri tether (2010-2011), Operating and Maintaining a Space Elevator (2011-2012), Tether Climbers (2012-2013), Architecture & Roadmaps (2013-2014),  The Marine Node and a Materials Review (2014-2015) and Design Considerations for a GEO Node, Apex Anchor and Communications Architecture (2016).

Computer simulation is now an essential part of the design of any large engineering or science project.  With its unprecedented scale, wide range of physics and engineering concerns and pioneering materials, the space elevator will require computer simulation of many of its aspects before any major component of it can be built.  For this reason the topic of the ISEC 2017 study will be "Design Considerations for Space Elevator Simulation."

The study will specify the aspects of the space elevator which require computer simulation, develop the requirements necessary for a comprehensive simulation system, make recommendations for the software tools needed and define a computing resources and work-flow model.  The completed study will serve as a blueprint for constructing a system which ISEC expects to be a gold standard for space elevator simulators.

History Committee Report

Hello Again! This month our activities focused on the interviews given to us by various Japanese contributors and the activity going on for the Space Elevator in Japan. Lots of companies over there are very interested in this effort and many people involved in ISEC were surprised to hear that.  Please enjoy reading the summary from the interview with Dr. Yoji Ishikawa, Senior Engineer with Obayashi Corporation and Lead Engineer of their Space Elevator Team and if you can help us with this effort feel free to contact us at paula.smith@isec.org.

Summary of Interview Mark Dodrill with Yoji Ishikawa, Ph.D. (Senior Engineer with Obayashi Corporation and Lead Engineer of their Space Elevator Team)

Dr. Ishikawa is a Senior Engineer with the Obashi Corporation (OC), the engineering and construction group. He has lead the Space Elevator research team for four years. He first heard about the concept of the Space Elevator as a student studying aeronautics and space engineering, possibly through reading 'Fountains of Paradise'. The aspect of Space Elevator that most interests him is the possibility of making space travel easier and less expensive.  He has spoken many times at Space Elevator conferences in Japan, mostly about Obashi Corporation's concept of the elevator.

If the elevator existed he sees many benefits; mostly the expansion of business. He would definitely like to raise the elevator.

The OC is interested in the Space Elevator for industry worldwide. He says the main reason they are doing these activities is because the Space Elevator cannot be built by one company, not by OC who have experience in material, mechanical and aerospace engineering. If other industries get money for the elevator then eventually they can back OC in the form of construction business. For example, they may get the business if a CNT carbonology factory is required. If other business increases then the economy increases and all will benefit; all the citizens in Japan and maybe the US.

When Dr. Ishikawa speaks to other people who have never heard about the Space Elevator; he describes to them that it will make space travel less expensive. Possibly two orders lower cost than conventional methods. Everyone may go to space at a reasonable cost; people understand this, especially kids.

Dr. Ishikawa thinks the main obstacle is that the technology is not ready. There are so many things to be done which is the tough part. The cost to build the elevator is not so high; once people get convinced that will not be a problem. The technology doesn't get much ultimate carry. He says you have to push other industries hard. It will be a lot of hard work. OC does not make carbon nano-tubes so they have to ask someone to make them, which is the tough part. The 'port car', for example could be too hard.

He then discusses with Mark the vulnerability of the Space Elevator. Someone with objections could sabotage and destroy the whole thing by cutting the cable. The ideal thing is to have a very peaceful world. "There should be no enemy". When he talks about this ideal, lots of people say that this would be the most difficult problem to solve.

Dr. Ishikawa doesn't think one country could build the elevator. If one country, for example Japan, builds the Space Elevator then other countries may say no. This means that we have to have one entity involving all the countries of the world. That's a very difficult thing to do. All countries should be involved, he emphasizes.

ISEC President Dr. Peter Swan on YouTube

Recently, ISEC President Dr. Peter Swan was recorded in two short videos talking to intern Paul Morrison about the space elevator.  The first video discusses what a space elevator is and what its benefits are while the second video talks about the challenges remaining to build one.

Why Space Elevators

Infrastructure Approach

One of the keys to new Off-Planet growth is that the avenue to GEO and beyond should be based upon an infrastructure vs. individual events.  A historic parallel occurred about 150 years ago when a transcontinental railroad was opened across the North American continent.

Pre- 1865: the trip from New York to San Francisco included
*    Six months for $1000
*    Trip around the horn, thru the Panama Isthmus, or walk across the country
*    With a modest risk of death on each trip.

Post transcontinental activation
*    10 days trip at $ 70
*    Safe with food and rest stops along the way
    
In his book, "Nothing Like it in the World," Stephen Ambrose noted that "President Andrew Jackson traveled no faster than Julius Caesar," and that... "thoughts or information could [not] be transmitted any faster than in Alexander the Great's time." By 1869, human movement had advanced to a heart stopping 90 kilometers an hour while words and ideas had leaped to light speed, telegraphed across a continent.  No wonder Horace Greeley called the transcontinental railroad "The Grandest and Noblest enterprise of our age."  A similar parallel could be drawn with a space elevator infrastructure

Pre-Space Elevator
*    Launches around the world at about one every four days
*    Lift-off with massive shake rattle and roll
*    Historic probability of catastrophe
*    Limited to four metric tons with size restrictions [varies]
*    Launch cost from $20,000 to over $50,000 per kg [to GEO]
*    Launch on time - almost never

With a space elevator infrastructure [three space elevators]
*    Three tether climbers lifting off per day - on time
*    16 metric ton payloads on each lift-off
*    Seven days to GEO
*    Approximately $500 per kg [to GEO]
*    Probability of success - almost 100%
*    With elevator characteristics - safe, routine, low vibration
    
With this realization that an infrastructure is actually what the space access community requires, the space elevator is a natural choice!

Dr. Peter Swan, President - ISEC

We invite anyone to contribute to the newsletter by answering this question.
Please send your inputs to: pete.swan@isec.org.
[note: your submission is permission to print.]

Help Wanted

ISEC is very happy to announce positions for volunteers within its organization.  The following roles are available today.  Please coordinate with pete.swan@isec.org.  

ISEC Director of Publicity

The ISEC Director of Publicity will lead a small team that will focus upon the information flow about development of an operational space elevator infrastructure.  This expectation, and presentation of concepts, must show our determination and expertise while recognizing the great challenges.  The Director of Publicity will be the "go to" person for all aspects outside the organization with the following tasking:  

  • Goal:    To reach significant individuals and groups with our message.

  • Mission:    To support the distribution of knowledge of space elevator activities, information/data, and missions.

  • Approach:    Interface broadly while creating and distributing the monthly newsletter, web based flow, and social media contacts.  Will ensure coordination with ISEC's leadership team.  

ISEC Presentation Team Coordinator

The ISEC Lead for the presentation team will have the responsibility to coordinate with potential speakers / presenters about the space elevator concept.  The lead will ensure that an appropriate presentation will be available for the speaker as needed.  

ISEC History Committee Member

The ISEC History Committee is very active and has published articles.  Its principle activity is to record the history of space elevators and present that information in many ways; our website, ISEC newsletter, presentations, and a book in progress.

SpaceElevatorBlog

After nine years of continuous coverage of the space elevator arena, the blog was paused. Ted Semon accomplished much, ensured that communications continued across the world with his continuous and energetic efforts, and was instrumental in ISEC's success.  The community needs this constant recording of its events and recognition of the players in the space elevator development.  The blog would be transferred to a new "blogger" with encouragement and support.