Could a Mars Moon Elevator System Revolutionize Space Travel?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the feasibility of a Mars Moon Elevator System utilizing the moons Deimos and Phobos as platforms for launching and retrieving payloads. The proposed system involves a tether mechanism that allows a load shoe to be deployed from Phobos to Mars, with the potential for construction using space drones and robots. Additionally, the concept is extended to Earth, where a robot lander would harvest methane to create a mass for tethering and launching payloads into orbit. This innovative approach leverages advanced materials like graphene and energy sources such as hot pile fission to facilitate space travel.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of orbital mechanics and geosynchronous orbits
  • Familiarity with tether systems and their applications in space
  • Knowledge of advanced materials, particularly graphene production
  • Experience with robotic systems for mining and construction in space
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of orbital mechanics and geosynchronous orbits
  • Explore tether dynamics and their applications in space elevators
  • Study the production and applications of graphene in aerospace engineering
  • Investigate robotic mining technologies and their potential for extraterrestrial resource utilization
USEFUL FOR

Aerospace engineers, space exploration enthusiasts, researchers in advanced materials, and professionals involved in robotic systems and space infrastructure development would benefit from this discussion.

ecurbnotrom
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From observation I believe that the moons of Mars may provide a landing and lift off platform . The moon Deimos is near to geosynchronous orbit and drops a tether to dangle over the orbit of Phobos above the surface of Mars . From Phobos a shoe swing is tethered out and dropped onto Mars as Phobos passes overhead . A gentle braking on the tether reel lifts the shoe into flight and lift as the tether is reeled back . On a later orbital pass below Deimos the shoe casts its load to rendezvous with the elevator dangling above .
Of course this infrastructure is long term and most feasible to construct through space drones and robots and requires some spin corrections on the moons . I am sure many more hurdles remain but could it work ?
 
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Well no one likes this dynamic space lift at Mars so how about using the same technique here on Earth ? First a robot lander is placed onto a suitable methane orebody with a mass sufficiently large to anchor a reel brake . The robot has a hot pile fission energy source to mine and store methane and to further reform the fuel into hydrogen to drive ion thrusters . This mass is spin altered and dropped into Earth orbit at L5 . The byproduct of the methane harvest is a large amount of carbon . A second robot is landed onto the mass body with the capacity to press the carbon into graphite and further process the knit into graphene tethers . As the spin is worked back up the tether is reeled out with a rendezvous loading shoe and a counter balancing lifting mass opposing the loading shoe . The L5 orbit is the perfect high point to enter an elliptic insertion that allows the lifter to sweep through near Earth flyby close enough to deploy the load shoe . As the shoe is cast down ahead of the lifter the ballast is released to to maintain tether tension as the lifter passes overhead of the load shoe . The reeling brake is applied to accelerate the load to lift speed . As the load tether is reeled back the lifter mass is thrust back to L 5 . The load shoe can make rendezvous above the atmosphere with a low cost vertical air launch such as the Rutan system now for hire .
 

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