Design and Analysis of Driving Roller for Climber in Space Elevator

Abstract

In the purpose of this research, as the basic technology of the climber, focusing on a couple of driving roller placed on the tether, the dynamic behavior and the frictional force that acted on the roller was investigated. Instead of usual experiment to move the climber up and down, raising the tether hang on the counter weight up and down by the driving rollers, the condition of dynamic behavior was corresponded. Operating by a single driving roller, three times or more the counter weight was necessary for force to push the roller. However, with double driving roller, the pushing force became much lower and the energy consumption was decreased. Such driving system mechanism included the friction force was analyzed. In this paper, the results of the basic technology of pressure force and friction, and also climber design are reported.