Maglev Launch: Ultra-low Cost, Ultra-high Volume Access to Space for Cargo and Humans

Despite decades of efforts to reduce rocket launch costs, improvements are marginal. Launch cost to LEO for cargo is ∼$10,000 per kg of payload, and to higher orbit and beyond much greater. Human access to the ISS costs $20 million for a single passenger. Unless launch costs are greatly reduced, large scale commercial use and human exploration of the solar system will not occur. A new approach for ultra low cost access to space—Maglev Launch—magnetically accelerates levitated spacecraft to orbital speeds, 8 km/sec or more, in evacuated tunnels on the surface, using Maglev technology like that operating in Japan for high speed passenger transport. The cost of electric energy to reach orbital speed is less than $1 per kilogram of payload. Two Maglev launch systems are described, the Gen‐1System for unmanned cargo craft to orbit and Gen‐2, for large‐scale access of human to space. Magnetically levitated and propelled Gen‐1 cargo craft accelerate in a 100 kilometer long evacuated tunnel, entering the atmosphere at the tunnel exit, which is located in high altitude terrain (∼5000 meters) through an electrically powered “MHD Window” that prevents outside air from flowing into the tunnel. The Gen‐1 cargo craft then coasts upwards to space where a small rocket burn, ∼0.5 km/sec establishes, the final orbit. The Gen‐1 reference design launches a 40 ton, 2 meter diameter spacecraft with 35 tons of payload. At 12 launches per day, a single Gen‐1 facility could launch 150,000 tons annually. Using present costs for tunneling, superconductors, cryogenic equipment, materials, etc., the projected construction cost for the Gen‐1 facility is 20 billion dollars. Amortization cost, plus Spacecraft and O&M costs, total $43 per kg of payload. For polar orbit launches, sites exist in Alaska, Russia, and China. For equatorial orbit launches, sites exist in the Andes and Africa. With funding, the Gen‐1 system could operate by 2020 AD. The Gen‐2 system requires more advanced technology. Passenger spacecraft enter the atmosphere at 70,000 feet, where deceleration is acceptable. A levitated evacuated launch tube is used, with the levitation force generated by magnetic interaction between superconducting cables on the levitated launch tube and superconducting cables on the ground beneath. The Gen‐2 system could launch 100’s of thousands of passengers per year, and operate by 2030 AD. Maglev launch will enable large human scale exploration of space, thousands of gigawatts of space solar power satellites for beamed power to Earth, a robust defense against asteroids and comets, and many other applications not possible now.