880:
193:
which, like Skylon, is not a conventional rocket design as it will be fully reusable. Its cargo capacity will be between 100 and 150 tonnes (220,000 and 330,000 lb), is estimated to have an R&D cost of $ 10 billion, and production cost of about $ 200-million for
Starship crew, $ 130-million
161:
whose current estimated cost (US$ 6.2 billion) is favourable compared to other megaprojects e.g. bridges, pipelines, tunnels, tall towers, high-speed rail links and maglevs. Costs are also favourable compared to that of other aerospace systems and launch vehicles.
170:
A space elevator built according to the
Edwards proposal is estimated to have total cost of about $ 40 billion (that figure includes $ 1.56 billions operational costs for first 10 years). Subsequent space elevators are estimated to cost only $ 14.3 billion each.
194:
for
Starship tanker and $ 230-million for Super Heavy. The system has a less than $ 140/kg price tag which is possibly as low as $ 47/kg. It will be capable of transporting 100 people comfortably to Mars (therefore significantly more to low/medium earth orbit).
182:, a 12,000 kg cargo capacity single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane (not a conventional rocket) is estimated to have an R&D and production cost of about $ 15 billion. The vehicle has about $ 3,000/kg price tag. Skylon would be suitable to launch cargo
141:
However, due to the fact that space elevators would have a limited throughput as only a few payloads could climb the tether at any one time, the launch price may be subject to market forces.
119:
from 2001 to 2003 to write a paper, describing a space elevator design. In it he stated that: "The first space elevator would reduce lift costs immediately to $ 100 per pound" ($ 220/kg).
186:
people to low/medium Earth orbit (targeting maximum 30 people per flight). Early space elevator designs move only cargo but could move people as well to a much wider range of destinations.
91:
is also currently in development, a partially reusable rocket that promises to reduce price. However, an exact cost per launch has not been specified. Others, like the
45:
are high. The main cost comes from the components of the launch system that are not intended to be reused, which normally burn up in the atmosphere or are sent to
725:
87:. An aspirational price for this fully reusable launch vehicle is $ 10 per kilogram ($ 4.5/lb), significantly cheaper than most proposed space elevators.
756:
576:
831:
284:
138:, a space elevator would require US$ 220/kg just in electrical costs. Dr. Edwards expects technical advances to increase the efficiency to 2%.
639:
538:
83:
Various adaptations of the conventional rocket design have been proposed to reduce the cost. Several are currently in development, like the
116:
611:
680:
513:
103:
promised a large cost reduction, but financially underperformed due to the extensive refurbishment costs needed after every launch.
344:
36:
449:
1084:
189:
Another alternative project to get large numbers of people and cargo to orbit inexpensively during this time frame is the
1089:
824:
582:. 55th International Astronautical Congress 2004 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. IAC-04-IAA.3.8.3. Archived from
50:
973:
854:
240:
894:
869:
250:
205:
126:
of any object in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), relative to Earth's surface, is about 50 MJ (15 kWh) of energy per
919:
770:
732:
1079:
817:
179:
583:
1048:
1009:
475:
225:
78:
1058:
864:
245:
134:
for details). Using wholesale electricity prices for 2008 to 2009, and the current 0.5% efficiency of
879:
942:
654:
215:
131:
123:
554:
952:
235:
92:
662:
999:
112:
362:
750:
534:
509:
260:
311:
1025:
617:
686:
69:
launches are significantly less, but this is not the intended orbit for a space elevator.
994:
904:
190:
84:
66:
46:
658:
1035:
1004:
957:
909:
840:
154:
135:
20:
384:
1073:
978:
899:
707:
210:
100:
502:
947:
914:
453:
435:
345:"Elon Musk says the new SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket crushes its competition on cost"
255:
230:
149:
According to a paper presented at the 55th
International Astronautical Congress in
58:
331:
Falcon 9: $ 62M for 5.5 metric tons. Falcon Heavy: $ 90M for up to 8 metric tons.
1053:
1030:
937:
450:"2nd Annual International Space Elevator Conference held in Santa Fe New Mexico"
413:
220:
158:
796:
96:
49:. Even when reusing components, there is often a high refurbishment cost. For
289:
150:
88:
127:
62:
504:
The Space
Elevator: A Revolutionary Earth-to-Space Transportation System
409:
385:"SpaceX Could Bring Starship Launch Costs Down To $ 10/kg Believes Musk"
42:
24:
774:
174:
For comparison, in potentially the same time frame as the elevator:
285:"SpaceX's reusable rockets will make space cheaper – but how much?"
809:
640:"Considerations for Passenger Transport by Advanced Spaceplanes"
813:
479:
111:
For a space elevator, the cost varies according to the design.
54:
19:
compares the cost of sending a payload into Earth orbit via a
638:
J.L. Scott-Scott; M. Harrison & A.D. Woodrow (2003).
478:. Institute for Scientific Research, Inc. Archived from
166:
Total cost of a privately funded
Edwards' Space Elevator
708:"Five things to know about Elon Musk's space projects"
500:
Bradley C. Edwards, Eric A. Westling (November 2003).
1018:
987:
966:
930:
887:
847:
501:
41:The costs of using a well-tested system to launch
23:with the cost of doing so with alternatives, like
529:Bradley C. Edwards, Philip Ragan (October 2006).
610:Bradley Edwards (2003). "11: Budget Estimates".
577:"THE SPACE ELEVATOR: ECONOMICS AND APPLICATIONS"
278:
276:
825:
647:Journal of the British Interplanetary Society
8:
679:Bradley Edwards (2003). "7: Destinations".
555:"55th International Astronautical Congress"
363:"The economics of interface transportation"
99:have failed to get sufficient funding. The
832:
818:
810:
557:. Institute for Scientific Research, Inc
605:
603:
272:
755:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
748:
343:Sheetz, Michael (February 12, 2018).
7:
531:Leaving the Planet by Space Elevator
452:. September 24, 2003. Archived from
107:Cost estimates for a space elevator
31:Costs of current systems (rockets)
14:
283:Grush, Loren (24 December 2015).
878:
795:Dinkin, Sam (October 9, 2017).
575:Raitt, David; Bradley Edwards.
37:Space launch market competition
434:Bradley Edwards (1 Mar 2003).
124:gravitational potential energy
1:
476:"What is the Space Elevator?"
165:
157:can be considered a prestige
53:, prices are as low as about
51:geostationary transfer orbits
797:"Estimating the cost of BFR"
383:Zafar, Ramish (8 May 2020).
312:"Capabilities and Services"
241:Space elevator construction
1106:
895:Electromagnetic propulsion
251:Space elevators in fiction
206:Commercialization of space
76:
34:
1044:
876:
920:Momentum exchange tether
773:. SpaceX. Archived from
145:Funding of capital costs
73:Proposed cost reductions
17:Space elevator economics
508:. Spageo Incorporated.
1049:Non-rocket spacelaunch
1010:Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
226:Non-rocket spacelaunch
115:received funding from
79:Reusable launch system
1085:Spaceflight economics
1059:Megascale engineering
456:on September 12, 2015
436:"NIAC Phase II study"
246:Space elevator safety
153:in October 2004, the
77:Further information:
974:List of competitions
943:Lunar space elevator
438:. Eureka Scientific.
216:Lunar space elevator
132:geosynchronous orbit
1090:Transport economics
771:"Falcon 1 Overview"
714:. February 6, 2018.
659:2003JBIS...56..118S
236:Skyhook (structure)
1000:Bradley C. Edwards
682:The Space Elevator
613:The Space Elevator
113:Bradley C. Edwards
1067:
1066:
540:978-1-4303-0006-9
261:Tether propulsion
65:launch. Costs of
1097:
1026:KC Space Pirates
931:Related concepts
882:
834:
827:
820:
811:
805:
804:
801:The Space Review
792:
786:
785:
783:
782:
767:
761:
760:
754:
746:
744:
743:
737:
731:. Archived from
730:
722:
716:
715:
704:
698:
697:
695:
694:
685:. Archived from
676:
670:
669:
667:
661:. Archived from
644:
635:
629:
628:
626:
625:
616:. Archived from
607:
598:
597:
595:
594:
588:
581:
572:
566:
565:
563:
562:
551:
545:
544:
526:
520:
519:
507:
497:
491:
490:
488:
487:
472:
466:
465:
463:
461:
446:
440:
439:
431:
425:
424:
422:
420:
406:
400:
399:
397:
395:
380:
374:
373:
371:
370:
359:
353:
352:
340:
334:
333:
328:
326:
316:
308:
302:
301:
299:
297:
280:
184:and particularly
57:11,300/kg for a
47:graveyard orbits
1105:
1104:
1100:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1095:
1094:
1070:
1069:
1068:
1063:
1040:
1014:
995:Yuri Artsutanov
983:
962:
926:
905:Carbon nanotube
883:
874:
843:
838:
808:
794:
793:
789:
780:
778:
769:
768:
764:
747:
741:
739:
735:
728:
726:"Archived copy"
724:
723:
719:
706:
705:
701:
692:
690:
678:
677:
673:
665:
642:
637:
636:
632:
623:
621:
609:
608:
601:
592:
590:
586:
579:
574:
573:
569:
560:
558:
553:
552:
548:
541:
528:
527:
523:
516:
499:
498:
494:
485:
483:
474:
473:
469:
459:
457:
448:
447:
443:
433:
432:
428:
418:
416:
408:
407:
403:
393:
391:
382:
381:
377:
368:
366:
361:
360:
356:
342:
341:
337:
324:
322:
314:
310:
309:
305:
295:
293:
282:
281:
274:
270:
265:
201:
191:SpaceX Starship
168:
147:
109:
85:SpaceX Starship
81:
75:
67:low Earth orbit
39:
33:
12:
11:
5:
1103:
1101:
1093:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1080:Space elevator
1072:
1071:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1045:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1038:
1036:LiftPort Group
1033:
1028:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1012:
1007:
1005:Jerome Pearson
1002:
997:
991:
989:
985:
984:
982:
981:
976:
970:
968:
964:
963:
961:
960:
958:Space fountain
955:
950:
945:
940:
934:
932:
928:
927:
925:
924:
923:
922:
912:
910:Nanotechnology
907:
902:
897:
891:
889:
885:
884:
877:
875:
873:
872:
867:
862:
857:
851:
849:
845:
844:
841:Space elevator
839:
837:
836:
829:
822:
814:
807:
806:
787:
762:
717:
699:
671:
668:on 2009-03-19.
630:
599:
567:
546:
539:
521:
514:
492:
467:
441:
426:
401:
375:
354:
335:
303:
271:
269:
266:
264:
263:
258:
253:
248:
243:
238:
233:
228:
223:
218:
213:
208:
202:
200:
197:
196:
195:
187:
167:
164:
155:space elevator
146:
143:
108:
105:
74:
71:
32:
29:
21:space elevator
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1102:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1046:
1043:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1019:Organizations
1017:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
992:
990:
986:
980:
979:Elevator:2010
977:
975:
972:
971:
969:
965:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
935:
933:
929:
921:
918:
917:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
900:Counterweight
898:
896:
893:
892:
890:
886:
881:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
852:
850:
848:Main articles
846:
842:
835:
830:
828:
823:
821:
816:
815:
812:
802:
798:
791:
788:
777:on 2012-01-18
776:
772:
766:
763:
758:
752:
738:on 2017-11-19
734:
727:
721:
718:
713:
709:
703:
700:
689:on 2018-01-14
688:
684:
683:
675:
672:
664:
660:
656:
652:
648:
641:
634:
631:
620:on 2018-01-14
619:
615:
614:
606:
604:
600:
589:on 2006-03-16
585:
578:
571:
568:
556:
550:
547:
542:
536:
532:
525:
522:
517:
515:0-9726045-0-2
511:
506:
505:
496:
493:
482:on 2007-10-13
481:
477:
471:
468:
455:
451:
445:
442:
437:
430:
427:
415:
411:
405:
402:
390:
386:
379:
376:
364:
358:
355:
350:
346:
339:
336:
332:
320:
313:
307:
304:
292:
291:
286:
279:
277:
273:
267:
262:
259:
257:
254:
252:
249:
247:
244:
242:
239:
237:
234:
232:
229:
227:
224:
222:
219:
217:
214:
212:
211:Elevator:2010
209:
207:
204:
203:
198:
192:
188:
185:
181:
177:
176:
175:
172:
163:
160:
156:
152:
144:
142:
139:
137:
136:power beaming
133:
129:
125:
120:
118:
114:
106:
104:
102:
101:Space Shuttle
98:
94:
90:
86:
80:
72:
70:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
38:
30:
28:
26:
22:
18:
967:Competitions
948:Orbital ring
915:Space tether
888:Technologies
859:
855:Construction
800:
790:
779:. Retrieved
775:the original
765:
740:. Retrieved
733:the original
720:
711:
702:
691:. Retrieved
687:the original
681:
674:
663:the original
650:
646:
633:
622:. Retrieved
618:the original
612:
591:. Retrieved
584:the original
570:
559:. Retrieved
549:
533:. Lulu.com.
530:
524:
503:
495:
484:. Retrieved
480:the original
470:
458:. Retrieved
454:the original
444:
429:
417:. Retrieved
404:
392:. Retrieved
388:
378:
367:. Retrieved
357:
348:
338:
330:
323:. Retrieved
318:
306:
294:. Retrieved
288:
256:Space tether
231:Orbital ring
183:
173:
169:
148:
140:
121:
110:
82:
59:Falcon Heavy
40:
16:
15:
1054:Spaceflight
1031:LaserMotive
938:Launch loop
653:: 118–126.
460:January 18,
414:Blue Origin
410:"New Glenn"
221:Megaproject
159:megaproject
1074:Categories
870:In fiction
781:2007-05-05
742:2018-02-16
693:2010-01-18
624:2010-01-18
593:2006-03-05
561:2006-03-05
486:2006-03-05
419:4 February
369:2006-03-05
325:4 February
319:SpaceX.com
296:4 February
268:References
93:Sea Dragon
35:See also:
860:Economics
394:4 January
290:The Verge
151:Vancouver
89:New Glenn
751:cite web
712:Phys.org
389:Wccftech
321:. SpaceX
199:See also
128:kilogram
63:Falcon 9
43:payloads
953:Skyhook
655:Bibcode
25:rockets
988:People
865:Safety
537:
512:
365:. 2003
180:Skylon
736:(PDF)
729:(PDF)
666:(PDF)
643:(PDF)
587:(PDF)
580:(PDF)
315:(PDF)
130:(see
97:Roton
757:link
535:ISBN
510:ISBN
462:2010
421:2021
396:2021
349:CNBC
327:2021
298:2021
178:the
122:The
117:NIAC
95:and
55:US$
61:or
1076::
799:.
753:}}
749:{{
710:.
651:56
649:.
645:.
602:^
412:.
387:.
347:.
329:.
317:.
287:.
275:^
27:.
833:e
826:t
819:v
803:.
784:.
759:)
745:.
696:.
657::
627:.
596:.
564:.
543:.
518:.
489:.
464:.
423:.
398:.
372:.
351:.
300:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.