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How close are we to a feasible space elevator? Once we have something that can withstand the forces involved, we can just ride up to space for a fraction of the
by rthomas6 6y ago
How close are we to a feasible space elevator? Once we have something that can withstand the forces involved, we can just ride up to space for a fraction of the energy and cost, and start our propulsion from orbit instead of the surface.
- willcipriano 6y agoAs I understand it, very far. The materials science isn't there, we have yet to conceive of a material that would be able to carry it's own weight let alone move a useful load.
- avmich 6y agoNo, the problem isn't in the material, that's relatively easy part, we already have good prototypes in carbon nanotubes.
- willcipriano 6y agoMy source: > "No current material exists with sufficiently high tensile strength and sufficiently low density out of which we could construct the cable," he told me. "There's nothing in sight that's strong enough to do it — not even carbon nanotubes." "The best that theorists can do right now is come up with a material that's about two-thirds the strength needed to make a practical elevator," Henson told me. "And that's a very, very short tiny tube."[0] [0]https://io9.gizmodo.com/why-well-probably-never-build-a-space-elevator-5984371 https://io9.gizmodo.com/why-well-probably-never-build-a-spac...
- avmich 6y ago> How close are we to a feasible space elevator? Perhaps infinitely far - at least I suspect the law against elevator on the grounds of danger to orbital assets will get passed as soon as somebody will get too close to the ideas to actually build it.