An Earth-to-orbit elevator (sometimes called a "Beanstalk," a "space bridge," or an "orbital tether") is one of those ideas that, at first blush, sounds almost too ludicrous to be real. After all, we're accustomed to thinking of rockets as our only way into space, mixing danger and adventure; taking an elevator into space sounds almost boring. It turns out, however, that a space elevator is not only plausible, it's potentially revolutionary. Perhaps more importantly, given all that has happened in recent days and weeks, the notion of a space elevator can provide a bit of almost giggly optimism about the future.
We're already cranking out ribbons of carbon nanotubes. No, they're not quite strong enough for the job and we can only produce a few feet per hour, but we're getting there. In fact, I'd argue that we're making more actual progress toward a functioning space elevator than we are toward sending humans back to the Moon.
It's a quiet revolution, which makes it all the more interesting to watch.
2 comments:
Just a thought, but if pound to orbit cost can be brought very low Id love to see a orbital dry dock. A large pressurized area would be an infinitly better place to assemble space craft than out in the vacume.
Would not the space elevator be useless for travelling to and from the moons surface? The idea requires a spinning body to keep the cable/ribbon sticking straight out into space. The moon is tidaly locked. No spinny no sky hooky.
Lastly, space elevators will usher in weapons in space. How? With large numbers of private and commercial craft flitting about the solar system, exploring, setteling and exploiting asteroids moons and planets nations will come to recognise all of these ships and bases as vital national assets.
Vital national assest require protection from other aggresive nations and criminal orginizations. Nations constantly contend over concentrations of important natural resources and the seas between China and Australia still suffer regulare pirate attacks on shipping. If interplanetary economies become large enough such problems will find themselve replicated out in the space between the planets. In responce the richer nations will build navies to protect these vital national interests.
Space pirates, space marines, interplanetary battles.. ah! My boyhood pulp sci fi dreams are all comming true. Heinlein eat your heart out!
And The Fountains of Paradise is my favorite book by Arthur C. Clarke.
I've been looking forward to this idea since I read that story in the eighth grade in the 80s.
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