Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight

Alexander Bolonkin

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2010
• eBook ISBN: 9780080458755
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Aeronautic & Astronautic Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

In recent years scientists have investigated a series of new methods for non-rocket space launch, which promise to revolutionize space launches and flight. Particularly in the current political climate new, cheaper, and more 'fuel efficient' methods are being investigated. Such new methods include the gas tube method, cable accelerators, tether launch systems, space elevators, solar and magnetic sails, circle launcher space keepers and more.The author of Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight brings a vast amount of experience to the topic, having worked as a engineer, designer, project director and researcher at key institutes including NASA and the US Air Force.- Explores all the new non-rocket space launch methods, and compares them with each other and traditional rockets- Investigates the unifying principles of the different systems and shows how to select the best design suited to the mission- Author brings together technical and theoretical expertise from both industry and academia

Table of contents

• Front cover
• Title page
• Copyright
• Table of contents
• Abstract
• Preface
• 1 Space elevator, transport system for space elevator, and tether system
• 2 Cable space accelerator
• 3 Circle launcher and space keeper
• 4 Optimal inflatable space towers
• 5 Kinetic space towers
• 6 Gas tube hypersonic launcher
• 7 Earth–Moon cable transport system
• 8 Earth–Mars cable transport system
• 9 Kinetic anti-gravitator
• 10 Centrifugal space launchers
• 11 Asteroids as propulsion system of space ships
• 12 Multi-reflex propulsion systems for space and air vehicles and energy transfer for long distance
• 13 Electrostatic solar wind propulsion
• 14 Electrostatic utilization of asteroids for space flight
• 15 Electrostatic levitation on the earth and artificial gravity for space ships and asteroids
• 16 Guided solar sail and energy generator
• 17 Radioisotope space sail and electro-generator
• 18 Electrostatic solar sail
• 19 Utilization of space
• Attachments: Non-conventional and non-rocket flight on Earth
• Appendix 1 System of mechanical and electrical units and other useful values
• General references
• Index