Different Powerplants For Going To Orbit

What types of powerplants are available for going to orbit in the next decade? What would be each one's advantages and disadvantages? I think if we could put them all into a single thread, we could organize our ideas better.

What do you call a powerplant? I am asking as a non-native speaker. Is it the same as an engine or a drive?

To try a list of what is used by current teams and firms:

1. conventionally chemical engine
2. balloon-zeppelines to go up to 42 km, stay there and launch from there a vehicle to the orbit that uses an ion drive - JP Aerospace's concept
3. launch of very small and light vehicles by laser - there is a thread abou this in this section of the message board
4. space elevator

This is no ranking and it may be incomplete. It's just a list and it doesn't provide an answer to all your questions.

Is it what you are asking for? Or did I misunderstand you?



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

I, as a native English speaker, would also like to know what you are referring to by "powerplant". Are you referring to a facility for creating some form of usable power? Nuclear? Solar? (to electric or hydrogen fuel cell). Chemical?

The amount of infrastructure to accomplish this seems to be incredibly heavy to put into orbit. Would orbit really be the ideal location for such infrastructure? If we're wanting energy that will be easily accessible from space, why not have a base on the moon (where its gravity is relatively easy to escape) and ship the 'energy' to a 'fuel station' that could be in orbit around pretty much anything (which in itself has been suggested by many different users on this site as well as by some competing teams as well). The stability and protection afforded by the moon seems to be an invaluable asset compared to sitting openly in space.

I was referring to the type of engine, yes. I was basically trying to get a list of all the different kinds of energy that could lift a ship into space.