Using Space Systems for Climate Control

Scientific findings on climate change indicate that the excess production of carbon dioxide and other gases is increasingly threatening our way of life. In the long term, this may well become a serious problem for the world's population. In addition to manmade pollutants, the Sun will emit increased amounts of energy as it ages.

Thus, global warming will further increase. If we could control the amount of energy from the Sun, our climate could be controlled. This, in combination with innovative terrestrial programs, may result in maintaining the quality of life on Earth without drastic changes that are economically unaffordable.

Natural increased atmospheric heating by the sun may be most-effectively controlled through the use of an energy filter located between the Sun and Earth. For example, the development of a permanent Solar Observatory at L1 (SOL) for both solar system exploration and Earth's climate control could be a first step toward the very-long-term survival of the human race.

Such a station could be the focal point for heliophysics observations, afuel depot, an in-space assembly and integration facility, a departure and return point for solar system expeditions and the control center for an Earth climate control solar shield system.

The Earth-Sun gravitational system contains five Lagrangian points which are points where a small object will maintain its position relative to the large bodies as they revolve about each other.

At other locations away from these five points, a small object would go into its own orbit around one of the large bodies. At Lagrangian points gravity forces of the two large bodies combined with the centripetal force of orbital motion all match up in a way that cause a small object to maintain a stable or nearly stable position relative to the large bodies.

Since L1 is a neutral-gravity point between Sun and Earth, it offers a direct and unobstructed view of the sun while propulsive energy requirements for Solar System exploration missions are minimal.

SOL could serve as an early warning station for solar storm activity, and a station for assembling robotic and manned exploration missions to Mars, asteroids and other destinations. SOL is also ideal for conducting medical research on long-term radiation and low-gravity exposure.

A long-term objective of SOL might be the construction and deployment of a Solar Shade System for controlling Earth's global climate. The creation of such a shade system might be accomplished through a global research effort to integrate the effects of solar shading with related impacts on the atmosphere, climate, ocean currents and many other affected areas.

Since this would be a long-term program, many new technologies could be developed that would surely improve the standard of living and productivity on a global basis. Program costs could be amortized over the decades needed to complete the program.

A permanent Moon base could be ideal for the production and assembly of SOL components, because energy requirements for transferring payloads to L1 are minimal. In addition, such a program will properly prepare flight crews for exploration of any part of the Solar System and beyond.

Related Links
Launchspace
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation

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