Abstract

A new system is proposed for the low-cost launching of large quantities of rocket fuel into Earth orbit and the storage and transfer of the fuel to the NASA Space Station. The system consists of an electromagnetic launcher that fires heat-shielded fuel tanks into high Earth orbit, where they are captured by a long, rotating tether. The tether is in an elliptical orbit that ranges from high Earth orbit down to low Earth orbit, where it drops the fuel tanks into an orbit near the Space Station. The payloads are used for upper stage rockets, for stationkeeping propulsion, and for high- g-tolerant supplies for the Space Station. The system has the potential for launching more than 100,000 kg into Earth bit each year at a launch cost of <$10/kg.

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