This study was designed to take the concept of Space Elevators and answer some questions relative to space debris. The team built upon the 2010 study on the topic and addressed many other issues to include: - The probabilities of orbital conjunctions between a space elevator and debris in Low Earth Orbit, Geo Earth Orbit, and Medium Earth Orbit. - The growth rate of space debris as it threatens operational space elevator (2010, 2019, 2030)? - Mitigation of risk for the space community through design, policies, operations, and lowering the threat. This year's study topic focused upon calculations for potential conjunction probabilities from densities of debris for 2010, 2019, and 2030. ""Space debris mitigation is an engineering problem with definable quantities such as density of debris and lengths/widths of targets. With proper knowledge and good operational procedures, the threat of space debris is not a show-stopper. However, mitigation approaches must be accepted and implemented robustly.""

The International Space Elevator Consortium has created this position paper as a recognition that the space debris problem is an engineering one and can be mitigate. The question: "Will space debris be a show stopper for space elevators?" is answered emphatically - NO! The mitigation concepts presented change the issue from a perceived problem to an engineering concern; but, by no means is it a significant threat. This pamphlet illustrates how the development office for a future space elevator can attack this problem, predict probabilities of collision, and convert the concern into another manageable engineering problem.

In the last year, the International Space Elevator Consortium assessed that basic technological needs can be met with current capabilities: and, each segment of the Space Elevator Transportation System is ready for engineering validation. Because of the availability of a new material as a potential Space Elevator tether, the community strongly believes that a Space Elevator will be initiated in the near term. Included in the book is a series of appendices that are tremendous references to the status of the space elevator today. Included are a lexicon of space elevator terms, over 750 references in the bibliography, short descriptions of eight ISEC year-long studies and two IAA 4-year studies on space elevators, as well as a summary of over 20 Architectural Notes covering the development of space elevator technologies.

The International Space Elevator Consortium has conducted a year-long study addressing the issues associated with how to start the development of space elevators. This report is the result. The process for developing an architecture for a new system of systems has many steps. Each step leads to a technological roadmap leading to a mature engineering structure. Five segment roadmaps are developed: Tether Climber, Tether, Marine Node, Apex Anchor and Headquarters Primary Operations Center. The initial set of challenges for each segment is established. These will fuel a series of demonstrations pushing the development team to Culminating Demo's that resolves all those challenges. Then, Implementation Plans will be written and executed resulting in an Initial Operational Capability (IOC). This study is an excellent step in the ongoing analysis of the technological feasibility of space elevators.

The purpose of this research is to provide Space Station Freedom protective structures design insight through the coupling of design/material requirements, hypervelocity impact phenomenology, meteoroid and space debris environment sensitivities, optimization techniques and operations research strategies, and mission scenarios. The goals of the research are: (1) to develop a Monte Carlo simulation tool which will provide top level insight for Space Station protective structures designers; (2) to develop advanced shielding concepts relevant to Space Station Freedom using unique multiple bumper approaches; and (3) to investigate projectile shape effects on protective structures design. Mog, Robert A. and Helba, Michael J. and Hill, Janeil B. Unspecified Center HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT; MONTE CARLO METHOD; OPTIMIZATION; SPACE STATION FREEDOM; SPACECRAFT SHIELDING; SPACECRAFT SURVIVABILITY; BUMPERS; METEOROID CONCENTRATION; OPERATIONS RESEARCH; PROJECTILES; SPACE DEBRIS; SPACE STATION STRUCTURES...

"This book provides up-to-date knowledge of space debris and valuable insights on how to grapple with this issue from legal, technical, economical and societal aspects. I would strongly recommend that everyone who is working on space development and utilizations and even non-specialists once read this book and think over how human being should be faced with this issue." –Prof. Shinichi Nakasuka, University of Tokyo, Japan Space Debris Peril: Pathways to Opportunities takes readers through the wide spectrum of problems created by space debris – including technical, political, legal and socio-economical aspects – and suggests ways to mitigate its negative consequences and create new opportunities. With chapter contributions from authors at world-renowned universities, private or public entities, and research institutes active in the field of space debris mitigation, space policy and law, risk and resilience, liability and insurance, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject helping the reader to grasp the whole picture of the current space debris remediation challenges. This book will be of interest to the scientific communities, policy makers, business developers, (re)insurers and international standards developers for space operations and orbital debris mitigation. Also, it should appeal to a broader audience among non-specialists in various sectors and the general public. Key features: Brings together interdisciplinary perspectives on the topic in one, cohesive book Chapter contributions from specialists in this interdisciplinary field from around the globe Up-to-date information with the latest developments

The future evolution of the debris environment will be forecast on the basis of traffic models and possible hazard mitigation practices. The text shows how large trackable objects will have re-entry pinpointed and predictions made on related risk assessment for possible ground impact. Models will also be described for meteoroids which are also a prevailing risk.