CHARACTERISTICS OF A MEGASTRUCTURE FOR EARTH ATMOPSHERE CAPTURE: P1 MAIN FIGURES.

GLOBAL STRATEGY.

DECARB SPACE SYSTEMS global strategy is based on 3 main pillars :

• respond to the needs of in-space gas consumption for refilling/refueling space ships and operating orbital stations
• respond the market with solutions offering best compromise cost/efficiency
• build a space harbour megastructure that agglomerates multiple logistical functions for interplanetary life

P1 is a megastructure aimed at collecting the air in the upper layers of the atmopshere, between an altitude of 90 and 110km.

What are the elements to be collected of these altitudes ?

We concentrate on 3 main elements: nitrogen (N), oxygen (O) and argon (Ar), the 3 main components of the atmosphere, representing 99% in mass of the air. We'll also consider carbon dioxyde (CO2) and hydrohen (H).

ANNUAL MARKET NEEDS AND GROWTH.

What are the expectations in terms of annual in-space consumptions for these 3 main elements (N, O, Ar) in the coming decades (order of magnitude)?

The hypothesis for these figures are based on the 3 main markets:

• satellites constellations deployment (LEO/MEO/GEO/Non-orbital)
• orbital stations and factories deployment
• space cargos refilling/refueling for interplanetary travels (Moon, Mars)

ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF P1 MEGASTRUCTURE.

Mass captured will depend on several factors. These main factors are:

• Altitude of capture: Earth atmosphere air density evolves with altitude. The higher, the lower air density. Thanks to global dispersion, elements proportions are mostly maintained.
• Air capture surface: the more surface we have, the more flow of air components will get into P1.
• Capture efficiency: thermal and mechanical effects are huge at orbital speed. The most challenging element is to capture the most air materials possible, separate them and make them available higher in orbit for transfer with the best ratio air transfer mass/ air capture available mass.

Considering these 3 main factors, the annual mass captured by elements according capture altitude, for an air surface capture of $10^{\prime}000m^{2}$ and 70% capture efficiency is :

ANNUAL MARKET NEEDS AND P1 PRODUCTION ACCORDING ALTITUDE.

P1 MAIN FIGURES.

Megastructure 100km long.

Why so long?

Compared to shorter structures, the benefits of 100km long structure are:

• P1 must delivered the components from 100km to 200km. These components will be catched and transfered from 100km to 200km without changing P1 orbit.
• At 200km, docking/undocking space ships and fuel tanks/stations will be easier and safer.
• No production interruption, air capture is continuous at 100km to refill storage tanks positioned at 200km.
• No orbit change, this will be done without spending energy and time just to move P1.

Energy is used to :

• maintain P1 in position
• air capture, transfer and separation
• utilities

Long electrodynamic tethers will maintain P1 in position. The longer, the better.

This long multistage structure will offer different functions :

• air refinery process and storage
• space harbour for interplanetary travels: hundreds space ships will dock P1. Instead of spending energy on each space ship to travel to Mars, a few will spend the energy to move P1 on which hundreds of space ships will be docked. P1 structure will be a shelter in this interplanetary travel. Space ships will undock at the end of the travel to land on Mars.

We have consider an air components orbital transfer at 200km. 2 scenari for it:

• At 200km, secondary orbital tanks will be feeded from P1 to get to customers satellite or orbital station
• At 200km, space cargos will dock/undock on P1 for refilling/refueling

TURNOVER TARGETS for a 2040 configuration: