a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, [which] means this nanotube "ribbon" has to be pristine and perfect throughout its entire length. To be precise,

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, [which] means this nanotube "ribbon" has to be pristine and perfect throughout its entire length. To be precise, it only has to be as strong as its engineering factor of safety along its entire length. Also, fundamental to the understanding of composites is the transmission of loads from the fiber to the matrix. This load is transferred via shear pressures along the length of the fiber at the interface with the matrix. The net result is that the load is transferred along a very large area and results in a low shear pressure in the matrix. Composite engineering is a tricky business, but even with current fiber materials, you can build a part that has ~7 times the strength/weight of metals, much lower modulus of elasticity, and a linear fatigue curve. you need to construct the...counterweight in space as well...and we don't have an elevator to GET it there until we make the first one Most current plans actually unwind the tether from the middle. Then, in much the same way as cables are strung across canyons starting with a bow and arrow and a string, this initial tether is just strong enough to haul up another larger line, and so on. A single launch using any of the heavy lift vehicles in service today would be sufficient to launch the starting material into a suitable orbit.