2018/05/16 by Alex R. Howe, Howe, Alex R.
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #FOS: Physical sciences #Planetary Science and Exploration #Popular Physics (physics.pop-ph) #Space Satellite Systems and Control
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1805.06438
openalex publication_date 2018/05/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Super-Earths are one of the most common types of extrasolar planets currently known. Hundreds of these planets have been discovered by the Kepler spacecraft and other surveys, with masses up to 10 M_⊕ and consequently higher surface gravity than Earth. These planets would have greater escape velocities than Earth, reaching as high as 27 km s-1 for the largest super-Earths. To launch a spacecraft from the surface of such a world with chemical rockets would be cost-prohibitive or nearly so, while another commonly proposed launch system, the space elevator, would lack the necessary tensile strength to support its weight. However, we find that a hybrid launch system combining chemical rockets and a space-based momentum-exchange tether could reduce the Δv to be provided by chemical rockets to reach escape velocity by 40%, bringing it back into the realm of feasibility. Such a system could also function on Earth with considerably less exotic materials.