Modern-Day Space Elevators: You Dream it — We Deliver
Modern-Day Space Elevators address the huge challenges being embraced by the NSS – moving off planet and saving our planet. The success of operating a complex of Modern-Day Space Elevators will transform humanity’s relationship with space with eco-friendly, cost-effective and efficient logistics delivery to GEO and beyond. New opportunities will surface for space exploration, resource utilization and satellite assembly beyond the gravity well. Can you imagine, in the near future – 2036 – delivery of 30,000 tons every year to GEO, CISLunar and Mars? And of course, the commercial exploitation of efficient delivery will grow to approximately 170,000 tons / year by the mid 40’s (humanity has only put up about 22,000 tons between 1957 and 2022). Indeed, this remarkable capability will grow over time and become known as the Green Road to Space as it uses electricity to raise its payloads and does not leave debris behind. Humanity is standing on the cusp of a new era, with tethers from mid-ocean to Apex Anchors (100,000 km altitude) enabling the dreams of many, including the principle one of the National Space Society – off planet settlements. These ribbons from ocean to space offer the promise of making space accessible to all, fostering global cooperation, positioning humanity to address Earth’s challenges, inspiring a sustainable future for our planet, and living off-planet.
Space Elevators
Session Co-Chair Info
Larry Bartoszek
Owner, Bartoszek Engineering
Larry Bartoszek has a dual degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from the University of Illinois and is an Illinois Licensed Professional Engineer. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Welding Society, ASM International, and the National Space Society. He is also a Space Ambassador for the NSS. Larry serves as Vice President of the International Space Elevator Consortium. Larry worked at the Fermi Read More
Dennis Wright
Vice President, International Space Elevator Consortium
Dennis Wright first became interested in space elevators after attending a talk at ISDC 2013. A physicist retired from the Elementary Particle Physics Department of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Laboratory, Dennis now does research on the dynamics, electrodynamics and radiation environment of space elevators. He is currently President of the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC), where he promotes the advancement of space elevators, including expansion of the knowledge base, education Read More
Space Elevators
Session Speakers Info
Avery Davis
Secretary/Treasurer, TL5SS, Tucson Chapter of the NSS
Avery Davis is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Tucson L5 Space Society, the Tucson chapter of the National Space Society, and a longtime member of the National Space Society. He is an electrical engineer now retired from the aerospace industry. Read More
Mordy Friedman
CEO, World Space Elevator Competitions
Mordy Friedman is the Founder and CEO of WSPEC (World Space Elevator Competitions), a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the engineering reality of a space elevator. Driven by the belief that space access should be scalable and foster an economy that’s beneficial for all humanity, Mordy advocates for a pragmatic, phased approach to development. By uniting global teams through high-stakes engineering competitions, building the ecosystem needed to transition space from a Read More
Aolani Gonzalez
Undergraduate Student, Yale University
Aolani is a second-year undergraduate student studying mechanical engineering at Yale University. Under the mentorship of Drs. Peter and Cathy Swan, Aolani led a team of 4 students to explore the topic of space elevators as a part of Yale’s Space Policy Research Collaborative. Read More
Steven Griggs
President, Space Railway Corporation
Steven Griggs held multiple positions in the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Northrop Grumman Advanced Technology Design Center, and Boeing Phantom Works. His 40-year career focused on the front end of business: basic research and development, technology development, product development, prototyping, proposal writing, funding pursuit, government contracting, project management, program management, and supplier coordination. Griggs participated on over 45 aircraft programs, developed and transitioned more than 1500 technologies. He developed the Read More
John Knapman
Director of Research, International Space Elevator Consortium
John has been active in the space arena since 2005 working on variants of the Launch Loop. He started working on space elevators in 2010 and has published over 20 papers in journals and conferences. He has a mathematics degree and a Ph.D. Read More
Dr. Peter A. Swan
Chief Architect, International Space Elevator Consortium
Peter A. Swan, Ph.D., FAIAA, FBIS, MIAA, is ISEC’s Chief Architect, Past President of the International Space Elevator Consortium, and a Board Member of the Space Elevator Development Corporation. In these roles, he leads teams who further the Space Elevator concept through incremental studies and yearly conferences. Over the last 24 years, he has published multiple books on the topic as an author, co-author, and/or co-editor. He is a full Read More