The Slinger - An in-orbit booster facility

Abstract

The Slinger, a permanent facility that can be built and stationed in a low earth orbit and can reduce the cost of transporting satellites into geostationary orbit by a factor of three, is examined. The Slinger is described, giving its size, mass, capacity, and the construction of its tethers. Techniques for accelerating the tethers are discussed. The operation of the Slinger is examined, including its launching of a payload into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and its return to lower orbit. The Slinger's cycle time, its handling of lighter GTO payloads, and the effects of orbital precession and drag are briefly discussed. A possible reusable second stage based at the Slinger is discussed, and missions involving higher velocity and heavier payloads that can be helped by the Slinger are briefly considered along with the use of the Slinger to provide astronauts with 1 g and the use of a Slinger on the moon.