# US 2010/0163683 A1 · Space Elevator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0163683 A1 - Document ID: US20100163683A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/524,130 - Filed: 2008-02-21 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-21 - Assignees: Thoth Technology Inc. - Inventors: Brendan Mark Quine - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100163683A1 ## CPC - E04H 9/0215: {involving active or passive dynamic mass damping systems} - B64G 1/002: {Launch systems} - B64G 5/00: Ground equipment for vehicles, e.g. starting towers, fuelling arrangements (B64G3/00 takes precedence) - B66B 9/00: Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures (characterised by control systems B66B1/00; apparatus for raising or lowering persons on stages of theatres A63J5/12) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract A freestanding space elevator tower for launching payloads, tourism, observation, scientific research and communications. The space elevator tower has a segmented elevator core structure, each segment being formed of at least one pneumatically pressurized cell. The pressure cells may be filled with air or another gas. Elevator cars may ascend or descend on the outer surface of the elevator core structure or in a shaft on the interior of the elevator core structure. A payload may be launched from a pod or deck at the upper end of the space elevator tower. The space elevator tower is stabilized by gyroscopic and active control machinery. The space elevator tower maintains a desired pressure level through gas compressor machinery. Methods of constructing the space elevator are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A space elevator tower for location on a planetary surface, the space elevator tower comprising a pneumatically pressurized structure that is at least partially formed from flexible sheet material and is at least partially supported by internal gas pressure, and at least one stabilization device attached to the pneumatically pressurized structure to provide at least partial active stabilization, the space elevator tower including a main pod at the top thereof, providing at least one of: a launch device for launching objects from the main pod; a platform for at least one person or for communications; and remote sensing equipment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tower comprises a plurality of segments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tower comprises a plurality of pneumatically pressurized cells. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 2, wherein each segment comprises a plurality of pneumatically pressurized cells. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3, 4) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein each of these cells are cylindrical, and a plurality of these cylindrical cells are arranged in a circle to form a core having a diameter greater than the diameter of each individual cell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 2, wherein each segment comprises a plurality of pneumatically pressurized cells arranged in a circle around a core. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 6, wherein, for each segment, the cells are cylindrical and have substantially the same diameter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cells are defined between inner and outer walls, the outer wall defining an exterior surface of the space elevator tower and the inner wall defining a core. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6, 7, 8) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, including at least one elevator mounted for movement in the core of the tower. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, including at least one elevator mounted for movement on an exterior surface of the tower. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9, 10) A space elevator tower as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein each elevator includes motor driven drive wheels, for frictional contact with an elevator guide and support, for driving each elevator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9, 10) A space elevator tower a claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein each elevator is provided with at least one of an electromagnetic drive and a cable support and drive. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The space elevator tower of claim 1, wherein the main pod includes at least a substantially rigid floor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-13, further comprising a brace structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-14, further comprising an anchorage extending into the ground beneath the space elevator tower. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-15, further comprising a plurality of pods distributed at a plurality of heights along the length of the elevator tower structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The space elevator tower of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of platforms distributed at a plurality of heights along the length of the elevator tower structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-17, further comprising a payload launch system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The space elevator tower of claim 18, wherein the payload launch system comprises a static launch tube located in the main pod. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The space elevator tower of claim 18, wherein the payload launch system comprises at least one rotating launch device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-20, wherein the cells are pressurized with air. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-20, wherein the cells are pressurized with a gas other than air. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The space elevator tower of claim 22, wherein the gas is hydrogen. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The space elevator tower of claim 22, wherein the gas is helium. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1-24, wherein the walls of the pressure cells consist of a material with high mass-to-tensile strength properties. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The space elevator tower of claim 25, wherein the material comprises boron. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The space elevator tower of claim 25, wherein the material comprises a Kevlar polyethylene composite. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1 to 27, further comprising a plurality of gyroscopic wheels distributed at a plurality of locations along the length of the elevator core structure. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1 to 28, further comprising gas compressor machinery distributed at a plurality of locations along the length of the elevator core structure. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29) The space elevator tower of any one of claims 1 to 29, further comprising gas compressor machinery located on the ground. ### Claim 31 A core segment for an elevator core structure in a space elevator tower, the core segment comprising at least one pneumatically pressurized pressure cell. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The core segment of claim 31 further comprising at least one gyroscopic wheel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31, 32) The core segment of claim 31 or 32 further comprising compressor machinery. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31, 32, 33) The core segment of claim 31, 32 or 33, comprising a plurality of cells arranged around a core, with the gyroscopic wheel and the compressor machinery, when present, located in the core. ### Claim 35 A space elevator tower for location on a planetary surface, the space elevator tower comprising a pneumatically pressurized structure that is at least partially formed from flexible sheet material and is at least partially supported by internal gas pressure, the space elevator tower including a main pod at the top thereof, providing at least one of: a launch device for launching objects from the main pod; a platform for at least one person or for communications; and remote sensing equipment. ### Claim 36 A method of constructing an elevator core structure for a space elevator tower, the method comprising: a) extruding core segments from a liquid core material; b) embedding pods containing control and stabilization machinery in the core segments as they are extruded; and, c) raising the pods. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, further comprising embedding fibres into the elevator core structure in order to increase the elastic resistance of the structure. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36, 37) The method as claimed in claim 36 or 37, including providing the control and stabilization machinery on a base, extruding the core segments around the base and, as required, mounting the control and stabilization machinery as each core segment is extruded. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36, 37) The method as claimed in claim 36 or 37, including raising the pods with a roller system and pneumatics ### Claim 40 A method of constructing an elevator core structure for a space elevator tower, the method comprising: a) raising a core segment with a climbing construction elevator that grips the outer surface of the existing elevator core structure; b) sliding the core segment on top of the existing elevator core structure on a horizontal track on the climbing construction elevator; and, c) during steps (a) and (b), actively adjusting the centre of mass of the existing elevator core structure to maintain the elevator core structure over its footprint. ### Claim 41 A method of mounting elevators cars in contact with a cylindrical core structure such that they grip the structure without use of a track and are able to pass other cars enabling bi-directional traffic flow using a twisting motion.