The space "elevator" is one of the oldest dreams of science fiction, but the possibility of actually building it has been considered for years, as it would greatly facilitate activity in space. In the case of LiftPort Group (Seattle), one such concept κατασκευής εξετάζεται για την μεταφορά φορτίων από και προς τη Σελήνη.
According to a report by space.com, such a program would utilize existing technology and be based on simple principles. The basic idea is a "vehicle" that will move up and down on a cable, attached/"anchored" to surface of the Moon, and will allow "soft" landings on the Earth's satellite.
In particular, LiftPort Group's vision includes launching a rocket from Earth to a special manned space facility (PicoGravity Laboratory) at a Lagrange point, from where the cargo transport to the Moon begins. The program is called LSEI (Lunar Space Elevator Infrastructure) and, according to the LiftPort Group, the transportation of people to the Moon will be possible from the very first years of operation of such a facility.
As LiftPort Group chairman Michael Lane says on space.com, progress has been made in the program, as the Moon has attracted intense interest over the past year.
As stated on the LiftPort Group website, the objective is to make the Moon economically accessible for exploration, colonization and extraction of natural resources.
Robotic airship for the Aphrodite skies
Engineers from Northrop Grumman and L'Garde are working on the concept of a small unmanned aircraft that will be able to roam the skies of Venus for up to a year. According to space.com, the Venus Atmospheric Maneuverable Platform (VAMP) will be able to stay in flight for long periods of time, combining the technologies planes and airships and gathering information about Venus and its atmosphere.
The VAMP will be a large, but concurrent, lightweight inflatable aircraft with a 46 meter wing opening. In the plan of a possible mission, it includes transporting it to spacecraft orbiting and then developing and inflating while it is still connected to the "motherboard". The vessel will then be released and will enter the planet's atmosphere smoothly without the need for much protective equipment.
The craft will fly at an altitude of 55-70 km, using solar engines during the day and hovering at lower altitudes after sunset. Its load will be able to vary from 20 to 200 kg, depending on the height at which it is intended to fly. The data collected will be transmitted to the "mothership", orbiting Venus, helping the scientific world to understand how the planet went from a potentially life-supporting world billions of years ago, to the high-temperature "hell" it is today.
