Satellite & Space Missions

Biography

Biography: Alexander V Bagrov

Abstract

Return missions to Mars (especially pilot ones) will need delivering to Mars rockets and fuel that is very expensive. We propose an elevator system for safety landing to and launch from Mars. This elevator may be based on both Martian satellites, because they are synchronized. The lifting theater being connected to a satellite will not wind it around. The far end of the elevator rope will fly over Martian surface with velocity 2 km/s or 1 km/s for Phobos and Deimos respectively. If the far end of the rope will have a hook, it can capture a loop connected to space vehicle, - just like aircraft carriers do decelerate of landing airplanes. After catching, elevator can lift spacecraft from Martian surface. To decrease hook velocity it may be installed onboard of controllable kite at far elevator's end. This will make possible to evacuate a vehicle from any point of Martian surface, not only from sub-satellite trajectory. Phobos' elevator needs 9500 km tether. It is 4 times less than it believed to be for so called "geostationary" elevator and 40 times less the length of Moon-Earth elevator. If the Martian space elevator will be constructed similarly to proposed Lunar one [Russian patent RU 121233 «Transport system "Earth-Moon"»], it will lift its cargo with acceleration, so launched spacecraft would be provided with enough velocity for returning flight to the Earth.