Stratoport: A Technology-Readiness and Cost-Benefit Appraisal of a Stratospheric In-Situ-Oxygen Launch Platform

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Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-06-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20825620
Primary Topic
Aerospace Engineering and Energy Systems
Type
preprint
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preprint

Stratoport: A Technology-Readiness and Cost-Benefit Appraisal of a Stratospheric In-Situ-Oxygen Launch Platform

Riswan Hassen
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Aerospace Engineering and Energy Systems
preprint

Stratoport: A Technology-Readiness and Cost-Benefit Appraisal of a Stratospheric In-Situ-Oxygen Launch Platform

Riswan Hassen
preprint en

Abstract

A crewed stratospheric platform that produces liquid oxygen in situ and hosts a launch operation at roughly 20 km is physically feasible with foreseeable technology but economically unjustifiable: a Monte-Carlo cost-benefit analysis returns a central benefit/cost ratio of about 0.26 (P(NPV>0) near zero). The transferable contribution is the "borrowed-multiplier failure mode" in the cost-benefit appraisal of speculative megaprojects.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Aerospace Engineering and Energy Systems
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