WO2005035362A1

WO2005035362A1 - Cargo transport means

Info

Publication number: WO2005035362A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2004/000060
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marian Vana
Original assignee: Emp - Centauri, S.R.O.
Priority date: 2003-10-10
Filing date: 2004-10-06
Publication date: 2005-04-21
Also published as: CZ20032746A3

Abstract

For a transport of a cargo within the earth atmosphere and into the space and back there is designed a cargo transport means provided with transfer means for movement up to the height of about 80 km above the earth surface and transportation means for movement in a magnetosphere in heights above 70 km above the earth surface. The transfer means is provided with supporting construction (10) with a cargo (6) holder (5) and at least two parallel arranged systems of rotors (1) coupled with driving motors (2), which are connected by means of wiring (7) with a supply source (9), the transportation means are provided with a super-conducting electric conductor (14) carrying means for attachment of the cargo (6) and connecting an energy source with plasma sources, the plasma sources being located at the opposite extremities of the electric conductor (14).

Description

CARGO TRANSPORT MEANS

Technical Field The invention relates to cargo transport means, especially for transport of a cargo from the earth into outer space.

Background of the Invention

In the present time there exist numerous propulsion systems applied in space technique, the system being based on reaction principle. By reaction engines such as rocket propelled systems, a certain kind of energy is transferred into kinetic energy of particles, molecules and gas or plasma ions flowing out from an engine jet. With respect to the kind of initial energy propulsion systems may be differentiated into chemical and physical ones. Chemical rocket engine manifest a limited specific impulse, its maximum value being about 4500 m/s, resulting in a high fuel consumption and thus in a limited operation period of several tens of minutes if the motor is to reach a thrust sufficient to equal the earth gravity. Another disadvantage comprises high combustibility of applied fuels and therefore existing danger of explosion of the motor. The majority of physical engines shows a disadvantage of a relatively low thrust insufficient to overcome the earth gravity. For their operation such engines need an external energy source and are very heavy on electric energy consumption. Among few exceptions there can be found an electro-dynamic tether, which is capable of absorbing energy from the space magnetic field and plasma, but it cannot operate in the earth troposphere and stratosphere.

For a vertical and horizontal movements in the earth atmosphere there are used aircrafts lighter and the ones heavier than air. The machines lighter than air, like balloons and airships, have low manoeuvre abilities and their movements are highly effected by atmosphere winds. The machines heavier than air, which are capable of vertical movements comprise vertical-take-off- and-landing planes and helicopters. Disadvantageous features of these machines include high energy consumption with respect to their mass and large dimensions because of large surfaces of wings and rotors. In the paper US 6,405,976 there is described a mechanism producing aerodynamic upward lift by means of a series of rotating discs arranged one above the other. Adjacent discs rotate in an opposite direction and air is blown into their intermediate space. This solution needs an auxiliary equipment for blowing the air between the discs. ft is an object of the invention to design equipment suitable to reach high distances above the earth surface beating the earth gravity force and acting by own force in the opposite direction.

Disclosure of the Invention

The foregoing object of the invention is achieved by cargo transport means, especially for transport of a cargo from the earth into an outer space, in accordance with the present invention comprising transfer means for movement up to the height of about 80 km above the earth surface and transportation means for movement in a magnetosphere in heights above 70 km above the earth surface. The transfer means are provided with supporting construction with a cargo holder and at least two parallel arranged systems of rotors coupled with driving motors, which are connected by means of wiring with a supply source, wherein the transportation means are provided with a super-conducting electric conductor carrying means for attachment of the cargo and connecting an energy source with plasma sources, the plasma sources being located at the opposite extremities of the electric conductor. For some applications of the invention the driving motors are by means of cables coupled with the supply source located at the earth surface. The transfer means may be provided with a stabilising propeller. Further in accordance with the present invention the energy source of the transportation means comprise solar cells, which are arranged on panels attached to the electric conductor. The panels may be provided with vertically turning joints and horizontally turning joints, the joints being coupled with a motor control. Still further in accordance with the invention the means for attachment of the cargo may be provided with a system of ropes carrying the cargo holder. In a preferred embodiment the supply source is provided with stationary winches for wind-off and wind-up of the cable. According to a preferred feature of the invention there is achieved a significantly lower overload during start and during active flight in comparison with other propulsion systems taking-off from the earth surface. According to another preferred feature of the invention the cargo transport means may be used repeatedly many times thus providing for reduced economic costs per one start with respect to chemical propulsion systems. According to another particular preferred feature of the invention the system offers higher operation safety as explosions of working chemicals are eliminated. According to another particular preferred feature of the invention the whole system requires considerably less fuel than it is the case with chemical propulsion systems.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is described in more details with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the transfer means and Fig. 2 schematically depicts the transfer means with eight rotors and motors having their own supply source of energy. Fig. 3 presents a schematic illustration of the transportation means and Fig. 4 offers attachment of the solar cells on the transportation means.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the cargo transport means consists of two parts. The first part, the transfer means, may be mechanically connected with the earth, the other part, the transportation means, is located in the magnetosphere at least several tens of kilometres, typically at the height of 150 km and more, above the earth surface. The transfer means serves for lifting and transfer of effective load from the earth surface into high layers of the earth atmosphere, i.e. into stratosphere or mesosphere. When reaching the desired height the effective load is released and moved to the transportation means, which are capable of movement within the earth ionosphere and even in more distant space areas. After the release of the load the transfer means gradually returns back down to the earth surface. The transfer means are provided with a supporting construction 10 carrying a system of rotors 1 serving for vertical movement in the earth atmosphere. The rotors I which are driven directly or through a gearing by one or more motors 2 equipped with cooling means, accelerate the system upwards from the earth surface or serve for deceleration during a return descent. The transfer means are furnished with at least two rotors i, the half of them being located at one side of the supporting construction 10 and the other half of the rotors i being at the other side, as can be seen on Fig. 1. The rotors 1 of the first part have direction of rotation opposite to the sense of rotation of the rotors i of the other part to eliminate, at least partially, a revolution of the transfer means around its vertical axis. To eliminate the said revolution completely and to stabilise the transfer means a stabilisation propeller 13 is applied. The two parts of the supporting construction 10 are by means of joints 3,4 coupled with a central cargo holder 5. The motors 2 are by means of a supply line 7 mutually interconnected in series and connected with a high-voltage supply source 9. By application of a number of vertically arranged rotors I it is possible to decrease dimensions of the system or input necessary for operation of the system. It applies also in a case where the transfer means is not supplied by electric energy through cables 8 and therefore is not permanently connected with the earth surface, but is supplied from its own source of energy, like batteries or combustion engine. During vertical movement within the earth atmosphere the transfer means are diverted sideways due to air streams. Therefore the rotors 1, including motors 2, may be positioned with respect to a horizontal axis by means of pivot joints 3, which may be arrested in a desired position. Simultaneously the rotors 1 may be positioned in such a way as to compensate for the effects of side winds and thus allow for most straight movement upwards, away from the high-voltage supply source 9. For this purpose there is also used a central joint 4 with a lock for arresting in a desired position, the central joint 4 being pivotable around its vertical axis. The central joint 4 also provides for adjustment of the rotors 1 into desired direction and together with the stabilising propeller 3 prevents undesired revolution of the system around a vertical axis. An unprompted revolution of the system around its vertical axis may be caused also by unequal rotation speed of the two rotor 1 arrangements. For stabilisation there can be applied also means known by helicopters. To eliminate effects of side winds the system may be completed with an auxiliary propeller rotating around a vertical axis and driven by own motor. Through tilting of the rotors 1 by means of pivot joints 3 and using the stabilising propeller 13 and as the case may be also the central joint 4, it is possible to control the movement of the transfer means in a horizontal direction.

Each of the two rotor 1 sets may be separately enclosed by a casing allowing for air flow through the rotors 1 only in a vertical direction, in the gravity direction, thus eliminating effects of side wiπdsjhe velocity of which is lower. Such an arrangement provides for increase of thrust of the rotors 1. AC machines are preferred to DC machines because of higher output/weight ratio. In such a case the motors 2 are supplied from an independent DC/AC voltage converter, operating as alternating-current source. Such power sources may be interconnected in series and supplied from a common supply source 9. Generally speaking there can be applied such connection of motors 2 or their power sources, like the voltage converters 12, with the supply source 9_, which provide for approximately the same input for individual motors 2 driving respective single rotor 1 and approximately the same current in each branch. Preferably there can be used alternating- current motors with rotation housing, which manifest twelve-fold higher static thrust with respect to their mass without any gearing. The motors may be furnished with supplementary cooling because of the rarefied atmosphere at high altitudes which is not capable to cool down all the heat caused by thermal losses in motor windings and by friction of moving parts. Power input for cooling is supplied also from the high-voltage supply source 9. To lift and transfer the useful load, the cargo 6, from the earth surface to stratosphere or mesosphere, necessary electric energy is supplied from the high-voltage source 9, positioned at the earth surface, by means of cables 8, unreeled from stationary winches J . As the high-voltage source 9_ there is used a DC source having voltage in the range of hundreds of kilovolts. One cable 8 is connected to the positive pole of the high-voltage source 9 the other cable 8 to the negative one of the source. Both cables 8 run along the earth surface to respective stationary winches 11, which are mutually separated by a distance ranging from several hundreds to thousands of meters. During operation of the winches H the cables 8 are permanently kept in a partly tight condition to prevent short circuit of the high-voltage source 9 due to extremely close position even contact of the two cables 8. The motors 2 are supplied through voltage converters 12, converting the supply source 9 high-voltage to a significantly lower voltage. The supply line 7 is covered by a sufficiently thick isolation preventing high-voltage supply source 9 short circuit via atmosphere or via the voltage converters 12. The air dielectric rigidity is about 1 MV/meter and the value decreases with increasing height above the earth surface. For the supply source 9 voltage of a value of hundreds of kilovolts a multi-layer polyethylene isolation having a total thickness of units of millimeters or centimeters shall be sufficient. In the distance of several tens or even hundreds of meters from the movable part of the transfer means towards the earth surface a thinner isolation may be applied and for the remaining length of the cables 8 a very thin layer protecting against meteorological effects is sufficient. One polyethylene layer being 0,25 mm thick withstands voltage up to 21 kV. With respect to polyethylene specific weight of 920 kg per cubic meter, the total mass of the isolation is units of kilograms.

Preferred materials for cables 8 are aluminium or copper. A 525 kV voltage output of 500 kW is transported from the supply source 9 by the cables 8 with a current of about 1 A. The aluminium cables 8 having a cross-section of 0,1 mm² and total length of 100 km shall weigh only 27 kg. Their total electric resistance of about 25 kΩ results in a voltage drop of 25 kV. Therefore the voltage of the high-voltage supply source 9 must be increased by this value. The power loss at the cables 8 is about 25 kW and its considerable part must be withdrawn by radiation as in the high atmosphere levels the heat exchange by air circulation is considerably limited. The total increase of the cable 8 temperature could be established by the Stephan- Boltzman law and is indirectly proportional to the total surface of the conductors. Due to this fact there are preferred cables 8 which are flat or hollow with a circular cross-section. In such a case their temperature rise shall not exceed few tens of degrees of Celsius. As the cable 8 length as well as the distance from the earth surface may reach up to several tens of kilometres, an aluminium or copper conductor may break just by its own mass. Therefore it is necessary to add a rope of a very strong material, like organic fibres. The rope is attached to the conductor along its whole length, but the conductor is very little undulated, not straightened, thus allowing to adapt to the elasticity of the organic-fibre rope, which can vary its length according to its load about several percent. The organic-fibre rope manifests sufficient strength to carry its own mass even by a length over 400 km and low specific weight. The organic-fibre rope with a cross-section of 0,5 mm² shall increase the total mass of the transfer means by about 50 to 75 kg. The organic-fibre rope known under the mark Dyneema SK60 has specific weight of 980 kg/m³ and tensile strength above 4GN/m2. This material is also suitable because of its resistance against UV radiation and water humidity. Rotating rotors 1 produce atmospheric upward lift and progressive movement of the transfer means upwards. The cables 8 are step by step reeled off the stationary winches H. As the transfer means can operate only in the earth atmosphere, it is possible to lift the cargo 6 only to a height of several tens of kilometres above the earth surface. From the presented example it is obvious that the current available technology enables to reach the maximum height of about 50 to 75 kilometres. It is due to the atmospheric pressure existing at such a height, which is ten thousand up to hundred thousand times lower than it is at the earth surface and the rotors 1 having the above described dimensions would have to rotate with supersonic speed. To move the cargo 6 even higher it is necessary to shift it from the transfer means onto the transport means. The transfer means can be used also for horizontal or vertical transportation only within the earth atmosphere. In such a case it is not supplied via the cables 8 from the earth surface but from its own electric energy source as shown on Fig. 2.

During descent movement the mechanical energy of the rotors 1 may be used for recuperation of electric energy back to the high-voltage supply source 9.

The transportation means consists basically of a long electric conductor 14, oriented approximately perpendicularly to a direction of earth magnetic field force lines and approximately parallel to the earth surface. The transportation means is equipped with an electric energy source, consisting of semiconductor solar cells 15, which produce DC voltage of several tens of volts. To provide for a DC current flow through the conductor, the plasma source are located at both extremities of the electric conductor 14. As shown on Fig. 3, a cathode 17b, emitting electrons into the ionosphere is located at one end of the electric conductor 14, while an anode 17a, collecting electrons from the ionosphere is placed at the other end. Both the plasma sources may be supplied from one common source located, e.g. in the centre of the electric conductor 14 or each of them may be supplied from a separate energy source located by respective plasma source, e.g. from semiconductor solar cells. Because of the energy source one part of the electric conductor 14 stretching towards the cathode 17b is at a negative potential with respect to surrounding ionosphere, while the other part of the conductor, towards the anode 17b is at a positive potential. The plasma emitted from the cathode 17b is electrically neutral and due to electrically conductive connection of the cathode 17b with the electric conductor 14 allows for an electron flow into the ionosphere. The plasma emitted from the anode 17a is also electrically neutral and due to electrically conductive connection of the anode 17a with the electric conductor 14 electrons in the ionosphere are forced to enter the anode 17a and flow through the electric conductor 14- This part of the equipment thus operates as electro-dynamic tether with plasma sources, so called contactors, at its ends. The neutral plasma emitted by the plasma sources into surrounding ionosphere is of much higher density than the ionosphere plasma and therefore provides for contact surfaces for conductive connection of the electric conductor 14 with the ionosphere.

The transportation means is designed for permanent positioning within the earth ionosphere approximately within the area of the earth magnetic equator, where the earth magnetic field has mainly horizontal component with respect to the earth surface and its vertical component is zero or negligible when compared with the horizontal one. The electric conductor 14 is slightly bend by the resulting force of the earth magnetic field affecting the conductor and the electric energy source voltage is oriented in such a way, that the electric conductor 14 is pushed away from the earth surface, against the gravitation. The transported cargo 6 is attached to the electric conductor 14 by means of ropes 22 and the carrier 23 hanging on the ropes 22- The embodiment of the transport means is presented on Fig. 3. The electric conductor 14 consists of an organic-fibre carrying rope having a length of approx. 110 km and of a high-temperature superconductor laid parallel with the carrying rope. The superconductor can be made of thin layers, essentially of a foil of a superconducting material distributed on thin substrates. There exists foils made of REBa₂Cu₃O₇ distributed on various substrates. The letters RE stand for one of the rare earth elements. Such foils have a thickness of several hundreds of nanometers and their critical current density is up to 30 kA/mm², the substrates for up to 20 kA/mm² are 50 to 100 μm thick, for current densities of 30 kA/mm² the superconductor foils are distributed on a cylindrical substrate. From this figures it results that by a layer being 800 nm thick and 9 mm wide it is possible to transfer a DC current of up to 215 A, provided the temperature inside the superconductor shall not exceed 77 °K. A very thin metal strip being pressed on a substrate of metal or of any other material and coated by a super-conducting material, when separated from the substrate can be used as a construction element for manufacturing of the electric conductor 14. The metal strip is attached to the carrying rope along their whole length, the metal strip being lightly curled to allow for length changes of the carrying rope as the rope length may vary due to its load about several percent.

As the electric conductor 14 will be placed within nearly perfect vacuum existing in the distance of 150 km and more above the earth surface, demands on its cooling are low. Only within transition places between the super-conductor and the metal being close to the plasma sources and within places where transport means construction parts are attached to the electric conductor 14, it is necessary to provide for cooling by a liquid media, e.g. by nitrogen. In other parts it is sufficient to protect the electric conductor 14 and especially the super-conductor from direct sun shine by methods known as such. In a paper US 3504868 there is described a multi-layer superconductor cover consisting of 30 up to 40 layers of a very thin foil with enough high reverberation capability to prevent a heat transfer towards the super-conductor. Simultaneously the foil individual layers are deformed in such a manner that they are in mutual contact by a very small part of their surfaces. The space between individual foil layers contains only vacuum as the foil is at numerous places perforated and any amount of air or any gas can escape through tiny holes from inside. Such a protection has been designed for a Niobium-Titanium super-conductor. For a high-temperature super-conductor only few layers of a protecting foil should be sufficient.

Such a parallel arrangement of tens of super-conducting stripes attached to the carrying rope of organic fibres and located in the multi-layer protection foil provides the electric conductor 14 capable to transfer a DC current being of order of thousands of Amperes. Individual stripes may be located very closely apart from each other as magnetic fields created by a current passing through individual inner stripes eliminate each other. The electric conductor 14 will be in fact partially bent or deformed due to effects of the earth magnetic field and the carried cargo 6 and also due to other mass being not evenly distributed along the electric conductor 14. Lets further suppose that of the total length of 110 km of the electric conductor 14 its effective length is 100 km and the total mass of the transportation means, including the cargo 6 is 1000 kg. To be able to move slowly upwards the force F_E induced by the earth magnetic field must be greater than the gravity force effecting the transport means at the respective height. For heights from 150 up to 200 km above the earth surface the force E§, have to amount at least to 9400 N.

As said above the super-conducting layers of the electric conductor 14 are supported partly by very thin metal stripes the thickness of which is comparable to or smaller than the super-conducting layer thickness, partly by one or more ropes of organic fibres. The electric conductor 14 apart from plasma sources and the electric energy source carries the cargo 6 and as the case may be further parts of the transport means. If the load is distributed evenly along the electric conductor 14 length, the demands on its tensile strength are practically very low. This is due to the fact that the gravity force and the force F_B created by the earth magnetic force are balanced. Nevertheless an ideal load distribution along the electric conductor 14 cannot be practically achieved. Lets suppose that the plasma sources are located at ends of the electric conductor 14. The electric energy source, incl. solar ceils 15, may be placed somewhere in the middle. The solar cells 15 may be evenly distributed along the whole length of the electric conductor 14 and individual voltage sources are connected mutually in series and in series with the electric, conductor 14. By means of a certain number of ropes 22 the cargo 6 weight may be evenly distributed along the whole length of the electric conductor 14 which is thus exposed to minimal strength. To ensure safety and eliminate its rupture the electric conductor 14 has to sustain a tensile stress of about 1000 N. In this case an organic fibre rope having a cross-section of 0,25mm and total weight of 27 kg shall be sufficient for the purpose. Including the super- conducting layers the total mass of the above described electric conductor 14 shall be about 240 kg.

The plasma sources are furnished with storage tanks 16 with a working media. The working media passes through a vent into an ionisation chamber where it is ionised and due to thermal movement of ions and electrons accelerated out into the surrounding earth ionosphere. For a successful operation of the plasma contactors within the ionosphere, the plasma sources have to emit sufficient quantity of plasma. To reach a 1 kA/m² density of current flowing through the plasma when NH₄ is used as the working substance, the plasma particle density have to be at least 10¹²/cm³.

The plasma sources need a relatively low electric energy input if a working media with good ionisation properties, like NH₄ is used. The said media is also non-explosive and ecologically acceptable. Present commercial plasma sources can emit plasma being equivalent to a current of tens up to thousands of Ampere and even more but such sources need voltage of about 30 to 50 V. For starting the operation the respective voltage must be multiple of the operation one and the input has to be also accordingly higher. Because of this fact it seems to be advantageous to use a system of mutually independent plasma sources and put the sources in operation successively. Higher number of plasma sources results also in lower input as the lower the plasma current the lower is the voltage necessary for maintaining the generation of plasma and for transfer of electrons from the source into the surrounding ionosphere or backwards. As already mentioned the plasma sources may be supplied from independent energy sources, like the solar cells 15, or from a central energy source. In the other case the plasma sources may be supplied directly from the electric conductor 14- In this case the voltage converters 24, connected as shown on Fig. 3, produce voltage necessary for the operation of the plasma sources. Nevertheless for starting their operation an auxiliary supply source, independent on the energy source, shall be necessary. Another solution may be separate connections, parallel to the electric conductor 14, between the energy source and the plasma sources, but such a solution has several drawbacks.

The arrows shown on Fig. 3, pointing from the voltage converters 24 towards the plasma sources indicate the energy flow necessary for operation of the sources.

The energy source supplies voltage and power to establish a potential barrier between the electric conductor 14 extremities and the surrounding ionosphere plasma resulting in DC current flow through the conductor, the necessary current value being from 2,5 up to 10 kA. It is expected that energy source voltage of several tens of Volts should be sufficient, presumably about 20 V to achieve a current flow through the electric conductor 14 in the range from 2,5 up to 10 kA.

As far as the transportation means stays motionless with respect to the surrounding ionosphere no voltage but the one supplied by the energy source is induced in the electric conductor 14. The earth ionosphere rotates around the earth axis simultaneously with the earth as the source of the earth magnetic field is firmly bound with the earth. The ions move within the earth ionosphere at a speed of about 1 km/sec, nevertheless the ionosphere as a unit performs the rotation movement. Local plasma currents achieving speeds of tens of metres per second may be induced into the ionosphere. Within the earth magnetic equator these currents move mainly parallel to the earth surface.

When the transportation means move upwards from the earth surface the electric conductor 14 intersects force lines of the earth horizontal magnetic field and proportionally to the conductor vertical speed with respect to the ionosphere a voltage is induced in the conductor, the said voltage decreasing the voltage at the conductor extremities, supplied by the energy source. To maintain sufficient current flow through the electric conductor 14 also during its upward movement the energy sources have to be controllable. For a supposed input of 350 kW, supplied by the energy source, the solar cells 15, and the electric conductor 14 current of 2,5 kA, the energy source voltage shall be 140 V. As for the current flow through the electric conductor 14 the energy source voltage of 20 V is sufficient, the source actually supplies additional 120 V, which can be used for the transport means movement upwards, away from the earth surface. The transportation means being positioned approximately in the height of 150 km above the earth surface, within the Thailand bay region, it can move upwards with a speed v up to 31 m/sec, provided the surrounding ionosphere in the vertical direction is motionless with respect the earth surface, the current flowing through the electric conductor 14 having a value of 2,5 kA. It applies that U_B= B.v.l, where B is the value of horizontal earth magnetic field intensity at the given point, v the speed and I is the electric conductor 14 length. Between the electric conductor 14 extremities there is induced a voltage of 120 V, which decreases the 140 V energy source voltage. The resulting voltage between the electric conductor 14 extremities is therefore 20 V. On the other hand for a downward movement of the transportation means it is necessary just to decrease the current flowing through the electric conductor 14- During the downward movement there is a voltage induced in the electric conductor 14, the voltage this time increasing the energy source voltage. Therefore it is not necessary to apply the energy source and the input generated during the downward movement of the transportation means shall be sufficient for a current flow through the electric conductor 14.

During operation plasma clouds are produced in the vicinity of the plasma sources, the clouds having a density higher than the surrounding ionosphere plasma. The said plasma clouds create a great collection surface through which electrons may drift through the cathode 17b out of the electric conductor 14 and return back through the anode 17a, thus allowing for electric current to flow through the electric conductor 14- The plasma clouds in the vicinity of the plasma sources partially screens the earth magnetic field thus decreasing the thrust F^ of the transportation means. Nevertheless such a thrust decrease is very low and amounts maximum to 1 % of the thrust Fb_. value as the screening appears only at the electric conductor 14 extremities, where the plasma sources are located. Generated plasma drifts along the earth magnetic force lines approximately perpendicular to the electric conductor 14 and in the outwards direction.

As the electrons of the plasma clouds around the plasma sources are more mobile than the ions, the electrons quickly break from the plasma cloud around the cathode 17b leaving a positive potential behind. The magnitude of the potential can be established from the Boltzman equation pro electrons and the said value for the earth ionosphere amounts maximum to several volts. On the other hand, the electrons entering from the ionosphere into the plasma cloud around the anode 17a are repulsed by a thermal motion of a plasma leaking from the anode 17a and therefore around the anode 17a there also exists a positive potential, nevertheless its magnitude is maximum several volts. As the both Boltzman potentials at the and the cathode 17b are of the same sign with respect to the surrounding ionosphere plasma, their influence on the operation of the transportation means is mean. Because of the Boltzman potential it is suitable to increase the positive. voltage within the anode 17a by several volts and accordingly increase the voltage at the cathode 17b, i.e. decrease its negative magnitude. This can be achieved by a partial decrease of plasma production within the anode 17a or increase the production at the cathode 17b. By this way it is possible to control potentials at the extremities of the electric conductor 14, at one or the other side from the energy source. Simultaneously, by changes of the plasma production it is possible to control the current flowing through the electric conductor 14. Apart from the solar cells 15 also other energy sources can be taken into consideration but the advantage of the cells is primarily the high ratio of generated output per one unit of weight, relatively low price, long life time and also ecological acceptance. Their disadvantage is the necessity of a direct sun shine. The life time of semiconductor solar cells is in years and usually the output to weight ratio is up to about 600 W/kg. There exists even cells where the output to weight ratio is higher than 1000 W/kg. The cells work with efficiency of about 9 %. For the solar cells 15 output of 350 kW their total mass would be 280 kg and they will occupy and area of 2800 m², by efficiency of 9 %.

The energy source solar cells 15 may be attached to the electric conductor 14 at several places along the conductor whole length, the more attachments, the lower is the electric conductor 14 stress due to sagging by the cells weight. Possible embodiment of attachment of the solar cells 15 is schematically shown on Fig. 4. The solar cells 15 are arranged on panels 26 hanging on the electric conductor 14. The dimension of the panels 26 is by order in units or tens of square meters. In the panel gravity centers there are arranged vertically swivelling joints 27 and horizontally swivelling joints 28 designed to orient the panels 26 according to the sun position. The panel 2§ orientation is motor controlled, the respective units are supplied directly from the solar cells 15. All the ropes 22 have to be at least several tens of kilometers long to keep the carrier 23 as below under the electric conductor 14 as possible to reload the cargo 6 when the transfer means reaches its highest position. The plasma sources have to be placed at the height of at least 120 up to 150 km above the earth surface to enable the operation of the system as in lower heights the conductivity of the ionosphere rapidly decreases. Assuming the transfer means reaches the height of 55 km above the earth surface the ropes have to be approx. 70 km long.

Lets assume the rope 22 average length of 90 km. As the material to be used the above mentioned Dyneema fibers are suitable because of their tensile strength, low specific mass and resistance against UV radiation. Each rope 22 have to carry a part of the cargo 6 weight and by its upper part, close to the electric conductor 14 also its own weight. For the cargo 6 weight of 250 kg the cross-section of all the ropes 22 should be 0,6 mm², which results in their total weight of approx. 53 kg. For a position of the electric conductor 14 approx. 145 km above the earth surface and to be safe against undesired rupture the rope 22 cross-section should be higher, e..g. 1 ,0 mm². The resulting weight of the ropes 22 thus increases to about 100kg. The transportation means have to be effectively protected against damaging influence of the space surroundings, especially against micro-meteorites. There is known a so called Hoytether, a long conductor consisting of a multiple of mutually connected parallel conductors. Such a structure is much more resistant against impacts of meteorites and has therefore longer lifetime than a simple conductor. By a similar way there are designed the electric conductor 14 and the ropes 22-

The transportation means may move close to the earth magnetic equator in the ionosphere region from the height of approx. 120 up to 150 km above the earth surface up to geostationary track in the distance of approx. 40 000 km above the earth surface and even in the more distant space. To explain movements of the transportation means within the earth ionosphere, lets start from the lowest ionosphere layers, when the cargo 6 is reloaded from the transfer means. At this moment the transportation means is located at the height of approx. 120 up to 150 km above the earth surface, above the Thailand bay, where the horizontal earth magnetic field manifests its highest value, its magnetic intensity being 3,82^*10^"5T, and the magnetic field vertical component practically equals zero. Lets further assume that the electric conductor 14 lays parallel with the magnetic equator and neither any of its parts not even the plasma sources are distant away from the equator more than several kilometers. This may be achieved as the electric conductor 14 is stabilized in a horizontal position collaterally with the magnetic equator by the influence of the earth magnetic field upon the conductor parts which are partially sagging in the vertical direction. All the plasma sources are in operation and the electric conductor 14, with the 2,5 kA DC current passing through, is by the force F_E pushed upwards against the earth gravity. The transportation means input of approx. 350 kW is supplied from the solar cells 15, therefore the operation have to be performed at the time of full direct sun shine. To equal the gravity force an output of only 50 kW is sufficient, to ensure the 2,5 kA current flow through the electric conductor 14 the solar cells voltage of 20 V is sufficient. The excess output of 300 kW may be used for the upwards movement. Just a small increase of the current flowing through the electric conductor 14 will cause the transportation means to move upwards by a speed of 31 m/sec. For an observer on the earth surface its position seems to be nearly unchanging as the transportation means perform its motion around the earth axis simultaneously with the earth surface, travelling at the speed of approx. 460 m/sec. With increasing height the observer starts to notice that it is very slowly moving westwards. This is not very advantageous as it is preferred to utilize the strongest magnetic field which appears just above the Thailand bay and within the height range, from zero to a geostationary orbit. It is also preferred to keep the angular speed of its circular motion around the earth axis in correspondence to the earth rotation or as the case may be at a little higher level at the same direction to increase the centrifugal force effecting the transportation means in a direction opposite to the gravity force. For this purpose the ropes 22 are within the cargo 6 vicinity joining into two main lines, one of them being furnished with an external winch 25. The said winch enables to reel in and off the respective rope line in the range of several hundreds of meters. In this way the electric conductor 14 may be diverted from its horizontal position by up to several tenths of a degree and the earth horizontal magnetic field force may accelerate or decelerate the transportation means in the direction of the earth rotation or as the case may be even against it. Moreover, such a horizontal diversion of the electric conductor 14 can be also used for turning of the transportation means and therefore the solar cells 15 after the sun when the electric conductor 14. is along its length oriented towards the sun and the solar cells 15 are in alignment. Simultaneously the electric conductor 14 is under the influence of a vertical component Fez of the earth magnetic field. Such a force is about thousand times weaker than the force Fβ pushing the electric conductor 14 upwards, provided the transportation means along its whole length is only several kilometers far away from the earth magnetic equator. With increasing distance from the earth magnetic equator the said force Eβz would rapidly increase and the transportation means would be forced toward one of the earth poles and finally falling down to the earth surface. The vertical component Fgz of the earth magnetic field within the area above the Thailand bay at the height of 150 km above the earth surface namely increases by about 160 nT per each 10 km towards the earth poles. To prevent the movement of the transportation means towards the earth poles it is necessary to utilize a force FBi, generated by electric current flowing in the plasma and ionosphere along the earth magnetic field force lines in the vicinity of the electric conductor 14 and affecting the conductor. The said current is a continuation of the current I flowing through the electric conductor 14. At the height of 150 km above the earth surface the magnetic filed force FB has a magnitude of several tenth of a percentage of the force FB- The electric conductor 14 is diverted by this force towards north in such a way, that a surface covered by a loop of this current increases. Provided the vertical component Fg^ of the earth magnetic field affects the electric conductor 14 towards the south and the magnitude of the force EBZ being only several tenth of a percentage of the force F_B both the

and FBJ forces are approximately in a balance and the transportation means move neither to north nor to the south. Small differences between the both forces can be eliminated by a slight increase or decrease of the electric conductor 14 current, the changes being only in the order of several percent of the total current. It is necessary that when being at the height of approx. 150 km above the earth surface the transportation means is positioned at the distance of several kilometers from the earth magnetic equator towards south, while when being at the height from thousands to tens of thousands kilometers the said distance varies from hundreds to thousands of kilometers. Thus the transportation means shall move upwards within a corridor which is several kilometers wide in the low heights and extends to several thousands of kilometers near the geostationary orbit. Within this corridor extending along the earth magnetic equator the vertical component Bz of the earth magnetic field points downwards, toward the earth surface and it is possible to make corrections of the transportation means position in the north-south direction. Leaving the corridor would result in an increasing influence of the vertical component _BZ of the earth magnetic field force in the north-south direction and a crash of the transportation means upon the earth surface. To enable the correction of the transportation means position during its upwards movement the magnitude of current I of the electric conductor 14 has to be by several percent higher that the value necessary to a mere compensation of the gravity force affecting the transportation means.

Deviations of the transportation means towards south or north can be measured by precise micro-accelerometers located either at the electric conductor 14 or at other parts of the transportation means. Alternatively there can be used a magnetometer measuring the vertical component Fg^ of the earth magnetic field force. The magnetometer may be located e.g. close to the cargo 6. Such a measurement allows timely corrections of the current flowing the electric conductor 14 thus saving solar cells 15 output. At the height of 150 km above the earth surface an output of about ten percent of the total transportation means input is sufficient for to have a corridor several kilometers wide.

There has to be taken into account also the fact that with increasing height above the earth surface the position of the earth magnetic equator slightly changes and the direction of the centrifugal force affecting the transportation means in not exactly parallel to the direction of the gravitation force and the F_B force.

During the movement upwards the energy source efficient voltage gradually decreases. Nevertheless the transportation means speed increases due to a decrease of the horizontal magnetic field intensity indirectly proportional to the third power of the distance from the earth center. The vertical speed y_y of the transportation means is given by the relation v_v = U_v / B * I, where U^ is the actual efficient voltage of the energy source.

The table presented below shows some transportation means parameters during its movement upwards : height conductor current efficient voltage vertical speec i total time

(km) (A) (V) (m/s) (s) 150 2500 120 0 0

1150 3000 98 41 41000

2150 3300 87 57 61000 When reaching the height over 2000 km above the earth surface the transportation means appears in the earth shadow and starts moving down to the earth. The downward speed is so as to keep the 20 V between the electric conductor 14 extremities. Such a voltage is sufficient to induce the F_E force compensating the gravity force. At the beginning the downward speed is about 13 m/sec , but decreases with increasing intensity of the horizontal magnetic field. After about 24 hours from beginning of its trip the transportation means is brought again into the sun shine when appearing at the height of about 1850 km above the earth surface. Its following journey can be illustrated as follows : height conductor current efficient voltage vertical speed total time

(km) (A) (V) (m/s) (s)

1850 3200 89 - 11 86000

3150 4000 68 63 17000

4650 4700 54 80 136000

5650 5200 47 92 147000

7650 6200 37 117 165000

When reaching the height of about 8000 km above the earth surface the transportation means may again enter the earth shadow. It depends upon the position of the earth axis with respect to sun in the respective season of the year. If the whole trip is performed during the spring solstice the transportation means do not get again into the earth shadow at all and theremaining trip continues as follows further : height conductor current efficient voltage vertical speed total time

(km) (A) (V) (m/s) (s)

11650 7700 25 176 185000

19650 9500 17 363 200000 In a case the transportation means would continue its movement upwards even after reaching the height of about 20 000 km above the earth surface and utilizing full efficient voltage, in about 2 hours it would cross the geostationary orbit and enter the interplanetary space. To maintain the geostationary orbit it is necessary to gradually slow down after reaching the height of about 20 000 km above the earth surface. In any case it is possible to complete the whole trip in less than three days. The return trip down to 150 km above the earth surface should last about one day. During one year the transportation means can complete about 80 trips to the geostationary orbit and back and during ten years one of the above described systems may transport up to 200 tons of cargo up to the said orbit. According to present price relations it can be estimated that to transport 1 kg of a cargo onto the geostationary orbit the costs will be about two orders lower than it would be by the present rocket technology. It could be expected that within one or two decades after start of a mass production, especially of the super-conducting stripes and other parts of the said transport means the cost would be another grade lower. During the trip to the geostationary orbit and back the transportation means may be encountered with plasma flowing at speed of several hundreds of meters per second and creating their own magnetic field. Nevertheless such plasma flows appear first of all along the earth magnetic equator and are not dangerous as the voltage induced at the electric conductor 14 because of these plasma flows is of a grade of tenths of a volt. Ascendant and descendant flows may be more important. Nevertheless in the region of the magnetic equator there exist slow ascendant flows, which are of no harm. An equipment similar to the one described above may be used also for a transport within the interplanetary space. Nevertheless its arrangement and appearance have to be somehow different. In the interplanetary space in the ecliptic plane there exists a magnetic field generated by a sun wind. Force lines of this magnetic field forms spirals originating in the sun surface and extending through the ecliptic to areas being milliards of kilometres far away. A typical value of the interplanetary magnetic field intensity in the earth orbit is about 5*10^"9 T and in the area of the sun system outside planets the typical value is 10^"9 T. Within the ecliptic plane, in the direction from the sun into the outer space a sun wind is moving at a typical speed of 400 km/sec, the speed increasing in higher heliographic heights up to 800 km/sec. The wind originates in the sun corona discharge and consists of plasma typically having energy of 10 eV with particle density of 10⁷ m^"3. When a long conductor is somewhere close to the earth orbit positioned into such surroundings perpendicularly crossing the ecliptic plane, between the conductor extremities a voltage U_B = B_sy * v_s * l_s will be induced. In the equation B^ stays for the magnetic field component being parallel to the earth orbit, v_s is a relative speed between the sun wind and the conductor and l_s is the length of the conductor in the direction perpendicular to the B_sy component. Between the extremities of the conductor being 100 km long a voltage of 200 V will be induced and providing for a current I = 10 kA to flow through the electric conductor 14 the output up to 2 MW may be generated. Thus there shall be no need for the solar cells 15. The generated output may be utilised for supplying a physical engine, such as an ion engine, which the transport means is also equipped with. The ion engine may provide for acceleration of the electric conductor 14 in any direction if his specific impulse is smaller than the double speed of the sun wind with respect to the conductor, i.e. smaller than about 800 km/sec. This results from the equation for the generated output P_B = B_sy * v_s * l_s * I = F_B * v_s . For the ion engine output Pi by ideal efficiency there applies P, = Fj * ( p 2), where Fi is the ion engine thrust and l_spj stay for its specific impulse. By the 1000 kg transportation means mass to achieve acceleration of 0,01 ms^"2 a 10 N thrust of the ion motor is sufficient and its specific impulse can be up to 400 km/sec. The transportation means with such parameters may be capable to cover the distance of one astronomic unit within a period shorter than two months and the distance Earth-Mars, can be performed during a favourable period_within about 4 months, while consuming working media quantity amounting to about 30 % of the equipment mass. It could be difficult to keep the electric conductor 14 stretched perpendicularly to the sun wind magnetic field force lines. In such a case it may be stabilised by means of a slow rotation around its gravity centre in such a way that the rotation plane is perpendicular to the magnetic field force lines. Then it shall be sufficient to change the direction of flow of the electric conductor 14 current during every half of the rotation cycle. The generated output shall decrease about 1 ,6 times.

Similarly to motion within the sun wind the transportation means may operate also within the interstellar space. Like a plasma a magnetic field exists everywhere in the space. It is possible to utilise the sun wind in the higher heliographic latitudes and to accelerate the transportation means by a speed up to 800 km/s into the interstellar space. For the time being the properties of plasma behind the heliopause is not known as no space probe has reached so far. Nevertheless when utilising the means for travelling in the sun wind also for travelling within the interstellar space, it can be accelerated against the plasma flow. When moving in the direction perpendicular to a galactic magnetic field force lines by a speed VG = 800 km/s with respect to surrounding plasma while oriented perpendicular to the magnetic field force lines, an output F_B * V_G is generated by the through flowing current in the electric conductor 14. The output can be utilised to supply an ion engine. By ideal 100 % efficiency of a transfer of supplied energy into a kinetic energy of accelerated particles and with a specific impulse equalling the _Ω speed, its thrust is double the F_E force and the transportation means is accelerated to even higher speed and after a certain time it shall reach a speed being multiple of the origin speed of 800 km/sec. The relation between the final speed VQ_K and the starting speed V_GO of the transportation means as well as between its starting mass M₀+m and the final mass o is as follows VQK = VGO * [(Mo + m)/M₀]^{1 2} The relation applies provided the magnetic specific impulse of the transportation means is significantly higher than the ^. It can be achieved by lengthening of the electric conductor 14 to several thousands of kilometres and decreasing the ratio Vj /v_e in the contactor plasma clouds. This ratio can be varied e.g. by increasing the number of individual plasma sources and simultaneously decreasing the plasma flowing out of them. .

The 95 % of mass being the working media, it is possible to accelerate the transportation means from original 800 km/sec up to 3500 km/sec. Designing the transportation means as a double stage equipment it is possible to reach the final speed of the second stage up to 15000 km/s. To decelerate the transportation means within the interstellar space it shall be sufficient to utilise the F_B force and an ion engine being not necessary the whole procedure will need a minimum amount of fuel. industrial application

The present invention is designed for transport of a cargo within the earth atmosphere and into the space and back.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Cargo transport means, especially for transport of a cargo from the earth into an outer space, characterized in, that they are provided with transfer means for movement up to the height of about 80 km above the earth surface and transportation means for movement in a magnetosphere in heights above 70 km above the earth surface, wherein the transfer means are provided with supporting construction (10) with a cargo (6) holder (5) and at least two parallel arranged systems of rotors (1) coupled with driving motors (2), which are connected by means of wiring (7) with a supply source (9), while the transportation means are provided with a super-conducting electric conductor (14) carrying means for attachment of the cargo (6) and connecting an energy source with plasma sources, the plasma sources being located at the opposite extremities of the electric conductor (14).

2. Cargo transport means according to claim 1 , characterized in, that the driving motors (2) are by means of cables (8) coupled with the supply source (9) located at the Earth surface.

3. Cargo transport means according to claim 1 , characterised in, that the transfer means is provided with a stabilising propeller (13).

4. Cargo transport means according to claim 2, characterised in, that the supply source (9) is provided with stationary winches (11) for wind-off and wind-up of the cable (8).

5. Cargo transport means according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in, that the energy supply comprise solar cells (15) arranged on panels (29) hanged on the electric conductor (14) .

6. Cargo transport means according to claim 5, characterised in, that the panels (26) are provided with vertically turning joints (27) and horizontally turning joints (28), wherein the joints (27,28) are coupled with motor control.

7. Cargo transport means according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in, that the means for attachment of the cargo (6) are provided with a system of ropes (22) carrying the cargo (6) holder (5).