Keith Watts

May 3, 2014

Mountain Launch System

utilizing gravity assisted launch

• Introduction

• Conventional approach and limitations

• Mountain launch concept

• Design case study

• Design details

• Energy & Cost/Benefit analysis

• Other considerations

• Summary

• Questions

Table of contents

Conventional Approach

• The rocket problem is one of exponential growth

• Fuel to carry payload plus fuel to carry fuel

• Start from a standstill, 0 velocity

• Start from near sea level, 0 altitude

• Start where air is thickest, 14.7 psi

• No outside assistance, must carry all required

fuel and oxidizer on board

• 30-50 lbs for 1 lb payload to space

• Atlas V 401, 3% of total mass is payload

– Mass to LEO: 10,470 kg

– Lift off mass: 334,500 kg

Fuel &

engines

Payload

Rocket performance defined by propellants

Chemistry determines propellant performance

Space Launch System Performance First Stage (Block I) - Core Stage

Diameter 8.4 m (330 in)

Empty mass 85.27 kg (188.0 lb)

Gross mass 979.452 kg

(2,159.32 lb)

Engines 4 RS-25D/E

Thrust 7,440 kN

(1,670,000 lbf)

Specific impulse

363 seconds

(3.56 km/s) (sea

level), 452 seconds

(4.43 km/s) (vacuum)

Fuel LH2/LOX

World launch sites

• Most of the world launch sites located in coastal areas near sea level

• Countries want their own site

• Transportation of rocket to launch site is a limitation

• Vulnerable to weather, attack

1 Vandenberg

2 Edwards

3 Wallops Island

4 Cape Canaveral

5 Kourou

6 Alcantara

7 Hammaguir

8 Torrejon

9 Andova

10 Piesetsk

11 Kapustin Yar

12 Palmachim

13 San Marco

14 Baikonur

15 Sriharikota

16 Jiuquan

17 Xichang

18 Taiyuan

19 Syobodny

20 Kagoshima

21 Tanegashima

22 Woomera

23 Sea Launch

23

Rocket + Earth’s contribution= hardware in space

Rocket + Earth’s contribution= hardware in space

• Decades of development

• Billions spent

• Not much room for improvement

• Get as close to the Equator as you can

• Sea Launch is only real improvement by actually

getting on the Equator, 17.5 to 25% over Cape

• Is there room for improvement?

BUILD SOMETHING BETTER

What if ? • What if you could use gravity

instead of fighting it?

• You can with a simple counter

weight elevator.

• Limitation of a man made structure

on the order of 1000 ft.

• What you need is a large natural

structure, a big pile of dirt and rock

• Fortunately, such natural structures

exist, they are called “mountains”

• Use low cost energy to hoist

counterweights

Mountain Launch System concept

Pulley Counterweight

Mountain

Launch

platform

Rocket

Cable

A A

Access tunnel

Counter weights 12 places

Main launch tube

View A-A

Mountain Launch System concept

• Multiple counterweights, like numbers on a clock face

• Increased mechanical advantage

• Acceleration up to 1G

• Principle of the trebuchet, large mass moving small distance = small mass moving a large distance

• Terminal velocity is reached

when aerodynamic drag equals

the force of gravity

• Remove the air and there is no

terminal velocity

Mountain Launch System concept

10,000 feet

Mountain

Rocket

Launch tube

Thin membrane

Vacuum pump

Lower hatch

Mountain Launch System concept

The numbers: • Launch tube length 10,000 ft

• Counterweight to payload ratio 4:1

– 0.5 M lb rocket and 2 M lbs counterweights

• Resulting vertical acceleration ¾ G

• Time in tube 29 sec

• Exit velocity 475 mph!

• Equatorial launch

• Full fuel load

• Thinner air

• 3-4 miles up

Mountain Launch System concept

Q:Are there mountains on the equator?

A: Yes, there are at least two

X X

Mt Chimborazo, Ecuador • South America

• Elevation: 20,560 ft

• Coordinates:

1°28′9″S78°49′3″W

• Type: Stratovolcano

• Last eruption:

640 AD +/- 500 years

• Nearest city: Quito

Mt Chimborazo, outermost point on Earth

equator

Mt Kenya, Kenya

• Kenya, west coast of Africa

• Elevation: 17,058 ft

• Coordinates: 0°9′0″S37°18′0″E

• Type: Stratovolcano (extinct)

• Last eruption: 2.6-3.1 Ma

• Nearest cities: Nairobi & Mumbasa

equator

BUILD SOMETHING BIGGER

Location selection: Mt Kenya • East coast of Africa minimizes

over flight concerns

• Approx 6 mile horizontal tunnel required

• Seismically stable

Site Selection

6 miles • Choose location

away from National Park popular areas

Sizing for market Design sizing targets, (starting point) • Diameter 25 ft (rocket), 50 ft launch tube

• Height 235 ft (rocket), 10,000 ft launch tube

• Weight: up to 1.5 M lbs (rocket), 4 M lbs counter weights

Target this market

50 ft

75 ft

“keyhole shape”

Tunnel Sizing Horizontal tunnel • Keyhole shape 50ft wide, 75 ft tall

• Concrete lined

• Need to accommodate upright payload fairings

• 6 miles long = 4 M yards of material to be removed

Fueled satellite and

fairing on it’s way the

launch pad

Big room and launch tube

Vertical tunnel • Round 50 ft diameter, 10,000 ft long

• Concrete lined

• 1 M yards of material

The Big room • Vehicle assembly area

• Overhead crane

• Unload rocket and erect

The Big room Horizontal tunnel

Overhead crane

Tunnel Boring Machines Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) built by Robbins, OH • Recently completed Niagara river project, 6.3 miles, 42 ft dia

• No concerns drilling volcanic rock

• Would construct vertical shaft from bottom up

• “Gripper” type, grips shaft, then thrusts up

• Cuttings fall and can be removed

• Concrete lines shaft as it goes

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Tunnels and complex • 4700 ft access tunnel, 29ft wide, 22.5 ft high

• 470,000 cuyds material removed (see parking lot)

• 4.5 acre main chamber grid

Assured access to space • Protected from extreme weather

• Protected from hostile attack

Support Infrastructure

Other Infrastructure needed • Airport 10,000 ft long

• Satellite processing facility

• Housing

• Medical

• Fire

• Food

Housing

Road to tunnel

Satellite processing

Food Medical Fire

Airport

Transportation Considerations

Rocket boosters ship by sea • Mombasa, deep water port

• Transport by truck to Mt Kenya

Zenit 3SL 1st & 2nd stages Delta Mariner, Atlas & Delta

Mombasa sea port

DESIGN DETAILS

Linear Bearing platform guidance

Launch platform

Open linear

bearing

Bearing shaft

8 places Counter weights

typical

Bearing shaft

mounted to wall

Adjustable to allow

precise alignment

Pulley system concept Pulley system concept • Located around the top of the launch tube

• 2 wheels to reduce wire rope bending, 2x90⁰ vs 1x180⁰

• Electric motor to add more energy

• Regenerative braking to slow platform and re-capture energy

• 1” wire rope rated load 100,00 lbs

Counter

weights

Launch platform Counter

weights

Pulleys Electric motor(s)

Clutched to engage or

dis-engage

Top cover & Membrane Concept Membrane concept • Seals to of launch tube to allow vacuum inside

• Rocket could pierce or could have heater burn through

Sliding cover • Camouflaged to minimize ascetic impact

Plastic membrane

Launch tube

Sliding cover

ANALYSIS

Energy Analysis Energy to orbit approx 30 MJ/Kg

• Atlas V 401 mass to LEO: 10,470 Kg

• 30 x 10,470 = 314,100 ≈ 315,000 MJ

• Atlas V 401 to 475 mph @ 17,000 ft, ETotal=EPE+EKE

• Launch mass = 334,500 Kg

• PE = mgh = 16,984 ≈ 17,000 MJ

• KE = ½ mv2 = 7,538 ≈ 7,500 MJ

• Etotal = 24,500 MJ

• 24.5/315 = 8% performance gain

• Increase performance to 1G using electric motors

• Speed now 800 mph

• KE = 21,676 ≈ 21,700 MJ

• 12% performance gain

• Gains conservative, 315,000 MJ would be less due to improvements in drag, distance & momentum

• Additional gains for equatorial launch

Low cost version • Build launch facility at 17,000 feet on equatorial mountain

• Potential energy 17,000 MJ

• 17/315 = 5% min performance gain

• Thinner air, less distance to space

• Saves 1 B tunneling cost, and counter weight system design

• Build a suitable road for rocket transport

• Build assembly and launch complex

Cost Analysis

• Approx 30 launches per year @100 M per launch = $ 3 B/yr

• Estimate for tunnel construction 1 B

• WAG for everything else, $500 M, Total cost $1.5 B

• Value of 12% gain of $3 B = $360 M

• 1500/360 = 4 yrs, 2 months, not a payback number but estimate of value

Help needed • Rocket performance improvement with these parameters:

• Start from 15,000 ft

• Initial velocity 500 & 800 mph

• What would be optimum speed at 15,000 ft to avoid Qmax?

• What are the needs of vehicle assembly?

MISCELLANEOUS

Improvements, Other uses • Additional power (electric motors) past 1G, how fast is too fast?

• Magnetic induction could be added

• Sufficient speed to start a ramjet? Use atmosphere O2

• Optimized low cost rocket, ramjet stage, modified 2nd stage?

• Microgravity research, 25 sec 0 G free fall

• Thrill ride

• Space tourism, sub-orbital flights

• Quick way to top of mountain

Design Challenges • Geothermal, what is the environment inside mountain?

• Counter weight deceleration and energy recovery

• Design and support of big room

• Design packaging of launch tube

• Moving platform & weighs in opposite directions

• Need stair and elevator access

• Pressure sealing top & bottom

Kenya • Government generally perceived as investment friendly

• Enacted reforms to simply foreign investment

• Well developed social and physical infrastructure

• Main alternative to South Africa for corporations seeking Africa markets

• 45 million people, growth rate of 2.3%

• 25% live in cities, the rest live in rural areas (farming)

• 40 different ethnic groups

• English and Kiswahili are official languages

• Best literacy rates in Africa, 87%

• 50% live below poverty line, 40% unemployment

• Need for clean safe water

Next Steps • Preliminary design concepts and trades

• Sizing & packaging

• Counterweight system design

• Tunnel boring machine

• Cost estimates

• Launch vehicle improvements and partnerships

• Technology demonstrator

• Discussion with governments on use of Mt Chimborazo & Mt Kenya

Odds and ends • Other titles:

• Most efficient means for launching payloads to space

• Using volcanoes to launch rockets

• “Ken ya” launch my rocket?

• US Patent No. 753053, issued May 12, 2009

• Submitted Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal for “Innovative Technologies for Operationally Responsive Space” Feb 2014, not selected

Summary • Improvement in rocket performance limited by chemistry &

physics

• Optimize system performance by increasing the contribution from the Earth and low cost energy

• Can use existing rockets as is, or minimal modifications

• Existing materials and technology

• Shielded from weather or military action

• Benefit to Kenyan and African economy and prestige

• World space port close to European and Asian populations

Thank you!

Q & A