Future multiplanetary economy utilizing the space elevator

Abstract

In the near future following the needs of space development, expected, but not yet available technologies will enter the scene and may represent a paradigm shift in space, allowing a strong and growing space based economy. Currently, the space elevator remains a distant goal from both technological and operational standpoints. However, its potential introduction signifies a paradigm shift in space accessibility, promising significantly reduced costs and increased payload capacities. Its implementation forecasts the development of a space-based economy spanning the entire solar system, encompassing planets, moons, selected asteroids, and comets. This vision sees space evolving into a platform for a multiplanetary society. This article aims to explore various scenarios enabled by space elevator technology, extending beyond Earth to integrate it into traveling settlements as essential infrastructure. Possibilities include assembling space settlements in geostationary terminals and implementing space transportation systems with a cruiser-feeder concept, where the elevator serves as a crucial link between planetary surfaces, cruisers, and container transportation systems. Furthermore, it involves utilizing the elevator to deflect asteroid collisions, assemble traveling settlements, and establish space factories using deflected asteroids as sources of raw materials. The envisioned space economy has the potential to surpass the terrestrial one, potentially generating quadrillion-dollar figures to benefit humanity on a grand scale. While these goals are ambitious, leveraging space elevator technology can expedite the process, offering immediate benefits and facilitating the establishment of a multiplanetary society that integrates both humans and AI-powered artificial beings.