A range of innovations will, necessarily, be accomplished in the process of developing vehicles for launching both manned and unmanned payload from the Earth's surface into space. Of the many innovative ideas for Earth-to-space launch vehicles, systems and techniques, this blog covers only a few, starting with a vehicle, system and technique that was innovative at its time, but is now obsolete, namely: The Space Transportation System (STS), a.k.a. the Space Shuttle (even though it is already obsolete, the STS is discussed in this blog as a way of illustrating that any succeeding innovative and futuristic ideas, which get to be developed, actually evolve from and replace older ideas, which once reigned, but eventually became obsolete).
The video below illustrates the innovative launch ideas that are discussed in this blog; the images used in the video were obtained from the following sources: Wikipédia (2014), Boucher (2013), Hoey (2010), Christian (2010), Wikipedia (2014)d, Wikipedia (2014)e, Dvorsky (2013) and Emerald Guardians (2013).
Innovative Earth-to-Space Transportation Techniques, Systems and Vehicles
Wikipedia (2014)d discusses many different ideas on techniques, systems and vehicles that there are for transporting vehicles from the Earth’s surface to outer space as well as from one point in outer space to another – the former and latter set of ideas are, respectively, for earth-to-space and within-space propulsion and transportation; this source furnishes a good overview of these space transportation ideas. However, this blog concerns itself with only those propulsion and transportation ideas, which are for propelling/transporting humans and cargo from the Earth’s surface to outer space (and not from one point in outer space to another).
The discussion in Wikipedia (2014)a explains that the STS was designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to be a manned, partially reusable space transportation system for deploying humans and equipment in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The STS, which could carry up to 7 humans, comprised of the following main three components: The Orbiter Vehicle (OV), a pair of recoverable Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and an expendable External Tank (ET). The first and last flights of the STS were the Space Shuttle Enterprise and the Space Shuttle Atlantis, which flew on February 18, 1977 and July 08, 2011, respectively. When it was operational, the STS took off vertically and glided back to land on the Earth’s surface in the same manner that an aircraft would land on a runway.
The discussion in Wikipedia (2014)b explains that the Orion Space Launch Vehicle comprises of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), which is designed to be launched by the Space Launch System (SLS). The MPCV is being built for both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) as a manned vehicle for space missions beyond LEO, including missions to the Moon, asteroids and Mars. The MPCV, which can carry 2-6 humans, comprises of the following major components: The Crew Module (CM), the Service Module (SM), the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)-based Service Module (ATVSM) and the Launch Abort System (LAS). The SLS is a heavy launch vehicle, which was derived from the Space Shuttle. The Orion Space Launch Vehicle is planned to be a backup vehicle for delivering humans and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).
The discussion in Wikipedia (2014)c explains that the Boeing X-37 launch vehicle, a.k.a. the X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), is a reusable unmanned spacecraft, which is operated by the United States Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies. The X-37 vehicle is boosted into space by a rocket; on completion of its mission, it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere and lands as a spaceplane.
Christian (2010) discusses an innovative space launch vehicle concept, which comprises of a, more or less, horizontal launch system (as opposed to the traditional vertical launch systems). In this concept, the vehicle will be placed on a rail-gun-type platform and launched horizontally, being propelled by a scramjet engine plus an electrically-powered or gas-powered sled; once the vehicle has reached the upper fringes of the Earth’s atmosphere, it then deploys its payload into orbit in much the same way a subsequent stage rocket fires off after a previous stage, in a multistage rocket system, is expended and jettisoned.
Wikipedia (2014)d explains that electromagnetic propulsion methods, which involve shooting a stream of ions at high velocity, can be classed into three major groups, namely: Ion thrusters, electrothermal thrusters and electromagnetic thrusters. All three variations of electromagnetic propulsion involve accelerating ions to and ejecting them at high speeds, in order to provide the thrust.
Wikipedia (2014)e explains a type of nuclear power propulsion system, namely: Nuclear thermal propulsion; with this propulsion technique, a propellant fluid is heated to a high temperature and ejected at high speeds, in order to provide the thrust. This propulsion method can also be classed into three major groups, namely: Solid core, liquid core and gas core systems.
Wikipedia (2014)f describes the space elevator as a type of STS, whose main component is a cable or tether that is anchored to the Earth’s surface and extends into space, where it terminates in a counterweight. Climbers, which are cable-car-like vehicles will be used to climb up and down the cable. The cable extends into space up to a height that is greater than the size of the geostationary orbit (which is approximately 36,000km high). The cable will be kept under tension and stationary as a result of a couple of physical phenomena, namely: (1) The force of gravity, which pulls down on the cable and gives it weight, and the centrifugal force, which pulls up at the cable’s counterweight and (2) The cable’s passage through the geostationary orbit.
The Earth-to-space launch technique/concept that I find most fascinating is the one that involves defying gravity and enables a vehicle to simply effortlessly levitate as it makes its way upwards from the Earth's surface into space. The essential feature (and prerequisite) of this propulsion technique is the devising of the Unified Field Theorem (UFT), whereby the phenomena of gravitation and electromagnetism are unified, and afterwards directly manipulating the Earth's gravity field via the electromagnetic field. According to Emerald Guardians (2013), a grander way to look at the UFT is to construe it as, not merely a theory that unifies only a few physical field theorems (e.g., gravitation, electromagnetism, etc.), but as a theory that unifies General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Mind and Subtle Energy Phenomena and Classical Electro Magnetic Theory (EMT). Anyways, a launch vehicle, which defies gravity, will be successfully developed only when and after we are able to directly manipulate gravity in such a way as to cause a vehicle to effortlessly levitate all the way into space.
Quite obviously, two forces that may impact innovative Earth-to-space launch techniques are (1) Technical, by which I mean whether or not there is the technical know-how so that these highly novel and even futuristic systems can be built eventually and (2) Social/cultural, by which I mean whether or not people will think that those seeking to design and build these kinds of systems are “playing God,” are “tampering with the prerogatives of the gods,” etc.; I guess that some people may think that actualizing some of these propulsion systems/techniques/concepts would amount to manipulating nature in irreverent, sacrilegious, unauthorized ways – depending on the scale at and extent to which this kind of thinking exists, pervades and dominates, the actualization of these systems/concepts may either be seriously impeded, and even prevented all together, or facilitated.
References
Boucher, M. (2013). Artist Concept: NASA Space Launch System and Orion Spacecraft. Retrieved from http://spaceref.com/onorbit/artist-concept-nasa-space-launch-system-and-orion-spacecraft.html
Christian (2010). Time to Think ‘Horizontal’ for Future Space Launches. Retrieved from http://defensetech.org/2010/09/21/time-to-think-horizontal-for-future-space-launches/
Dvorsky, G. (2013). Why we'll probably never build a space elevator. Retrieved from http://io9.com/5984371/why-well-probably-never-build-a-space-elevator
Emerald Guardians (2013). Veritas Radio: Dr. Paul La Violette - Secrets of Antigravity Propulsion & Tesla Wave Physics for a Free Energy Universe+ #2009. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldguardians.nl.eu.org/2013/08/veritas-radio-dr-paul-la-violette.html
Hoey, M. (2010). Global Space Warfare Technologies: Influences, Trends, and the Road Ahead. Retrieved from http://www.kurzweilai.net/global-space-warfare-technologies-influences-trends-and-the-road-ahead
Wikipédia: A Enciclopédia Livre (2014). Ônibus espacial. Retrieved from http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%94nibus_espacial
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)c. Boeing X-37. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)e. Nuclear thermal rocket Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_thermal_rocket
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)b. Orion (spacecraft). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_(spacecraft)
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)f. Space elevator. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)d. Spacecraft propulsion. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_propulsion
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)a. Space Shuttle. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle
The video below illustrates the innovative launch ideas that are discussed in this blog; the images used in the video were obtained from the following sources: Wikipédia (2014), Boucher (2013), Hoey (2010), Christian (2010), Wikipedia (2014)d, Wikipedia (2014)e, Dvorsky (2013) and Emerald Guardians (2013).
Innovative Earth-to-Space Transportation Techniques, Systems and Vehicles
Wikipedia (2014)d discusses many different ideas on techniques, systems and vehicles that there are for transporting vehicles from the Earth’s surface to outer space as well as from one point in outer space to another – the former and latter set of ideas are, respectively, for earth-to-space and within-space propulsion and transportation; this source furnishes a good overview of these space transportation ideas. However, this blog concerns itself with only those propulsion and transportation ideas, which are for propelling/transporting humans and cargo from the Earth’s surface to outer space (and not from one point in outer space to another).
The discussion in Wikipedia (2014)a explains that the STS was designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to be a manned, partially reusable space transportation system for deploying humans and equipment in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The STS, which could carry up to 7 humans, comprised of the following main three components: The Orbiter Vehicle (OV), a pair of recoverable Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and an expendable External Tank (ET). The first and last flights of the STS were the Space Shuttle Enterprise and the Space Shuttle Atlantis, which flew on February 18, 1977 and July 08, 2011, respectively. When it was operational, the STS took off vertically and glided back to land on the Earth’s surface in the same manner that an aircraft would land on a runway.
The discussion in Wikipedia (2014)b explains that the Orion Space Launch Vehicle comprises of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), which is designed to be launched by the Space Launch System (SLS). The MPCV is being built for both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) as a manned vehicle for space missions beyond LEO, including missions to the Moon, asteroids and Mars. The MPCV, which can carry 2-6 humans, comprises of the following major components: The Crew Module (CM), the Service Module (SM), the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)-based Service Module (ATVSM) and the Launch Abort System (LAS). The SLS is a heavy launch vehicle, which was derived from the Space Shuttle. The Orion Space Launch Vehicle is planned to be a backup vehicle for delivering humans and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).
The discussion in Wikipedia (2014)c explains that the Boeing X-37 launch vehicle, a.k.a. the X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), is a reusable unmanned spacecraft, which is operated by the United States Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies. The X-37 vehicle is boosted into space by a rocket; on completion of its mission, it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere and lands as a spaceplane.
Christian (2010) discusses an innovative space launch vehicle concept, which comprises of a, more or less, horizontal launch system (as opposed to the traditional vertical launch systems). In this concept, the vehicle will be placed on a rail-gun-type platform and launched horizontally, being propelled by a scramjet engine plus an electrically-powered or gas-powered sled; once the vehicle has reached the upper fringes of the Earth’s atmosphere, it then deploys its payload into orbit in much the same way a subsequent stage rocket fires off after a previous stage, in a multistage rocket system, is expended and jettisoned.
Wikipedia (2014)d explains that electromagnetic propulsion methods, which involve shooting a stream of ions at high velocity, can be classed into three major groups, namely: Ion thrusters, electrothermal thrusters and electromagnetic thrusters. All three variations of electromagnetic propulsion involve accelerating ions to and ejecting them at high speeds, in order to provide the thrust.
Wikipedia (2014)e explains a type of nuclear power propulsion system, namely: Nuclear thermal propulsion; with this propulsion technique, a propellant fluid is heated to a high temperature and ejected at high speeds, in order to provide the thrust. This propulsion method can also be classed into three major groups, namely: Solid core, liquid core and gas core systems.
Wikipedia (2014)f describes the space elevator as a type of STS, whose main component is a cable or tether that is anchored to the Earth’s surface and extends into space, where it terminates in a counterweight. Climbers, which are cable-car-like vehicles will be used to climb up and down the cable. The cable extends into space up to a height that is greater than the size of the geostationary orbit (which is approximately 36,000km high). The cable will be kept under tension and stationary as a result of a couple of physical phenomena, namely: (1) The force of gravity, which pulls down on the cable and gives it weight, and the centrifugal force, which pulls up at the cable’s counterweight and (2) The cable’s passage through the geostationary orbit.
The Earth-to-space launch technique/concept that I find most fascinating is the one that involves defying gravity and enables a vehicle to simply effortlessly levitate as it makes its way upwards from the Earth's surface into space. The essential feature (and prerequisite) of this propulsion technique is the devising of the Unified Field Theorem (UFT), whereby the phenomena of gravitation and electromagnetism are unified, and afterwards directly manipulating the Earth's gravity field via the electromagnetic field. According to Emerald Guardians (2013), a grander way to look at the UFT is to construe it as, not merely a theory that unifies only a few physical field theorems (e.g., gravitation, electromagnetism, etc.), but as a theory that unifies General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Mind and Subtle Energy Phenomena and Classical Electro Magnetic Theory (EMT). Anyways, a launch vehicle, which defies gravity, will be successfully developed only when and after we are able to directly manipulate gravity in such a way as to cause a vehicle to effortlessly levitate all the way into space.
Quite obviously, two forces that may impact innovative Earth-to-space launch techniques are (1) Technical, by which I mean whether or not there is the technical know-how so that these highly novel and even futuristic systems can be built eventually and (2) Social/cultural, by which I mean whether or not people will think that those seeking to design and build these kinds of systems are “playing God,” are “tampering with the prerogatives of the gods,” etc.; I guess that some people may think that actualizing some of these propulsion systems/techniques/concepts would amount to manipulating nature in irreverent, sacrilegious, unauthorized ways – depending on the scale at and extent to which this kind of thinking exists, pervades and dominates, the actualization of these systems/concepts may either be seriously impeded, and even prevented all together, or facilitated.
References
Boucher, M. (2013). Artist Concept: NASA Space Launch System and Orion Spacecraft. Retrieved from http://spaceref.com/onorbit/artist-concept-nasa-space-launch-system-and-orion-spacecraft.html
Christian (2010). Time to Think ‘Horizontal’ for Future Space Launches. Retrieved from http://defensetech.org/2010/09/21/time-to-think-horizontal-for-future-space-launches/
Dvorsky, G. (2013). Why we'll probably never build a space elevator. Retrieved from http://io9.com/5984371/why-well-probably-never-build-a-space-elevator
Emerald Guardians (2013). Veritas Radio: Dr. Paul La Violette - Secrets of Antigravity Propulsion & Tesla Wave Physics for a Free Energy Universe+ #2009. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldguardians.nl.eu.org/2013/08/veritas-radio-dr-paul-la-violette.html
Hoey, M. (2010). Global Space Warfare Technologies: Influences, Trends, and the Road Ahead. Retrieved from http://www.kurzweilai.net/global-space-warfare-technologies-influences-trends-and-the-road-ahead
Wikipédia: A Enciclopédia Livre (2014). Ônibus espacial. Retrieved from http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%94nibus_espacial
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)c. Boeing X-37. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)e. Nuclear thermal rocket Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_thermal_rocket
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)b. Orion (spacecraft). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_(spacecraft)
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)f. Space elevator. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)d. Spacecraft propulsion. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_propulsion
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2014)a. Space Shuttle. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle
