How Far are we from Building a Space Elevator?

[Radrook]

The Space Elevator would deliver supplies straight to the ISS without have to use those chemical rockets ad would save money in the long run. Just wonder whether this is really a goal we should be striving for.

Audacious & Outrageous: Space Elevators | Science Mission Directorate

A space elevator is a proposed type of space transportation system.[1] The main component would be a cable (also called a tether) anchored to the surface and extending into space. The design would permit vehicles to travel along the cable from a planetary surface, such as the Earth's, directly into space or orbit, without the use of large rockets. An Earth-based space elevator would consist of a cable with one end attached to the surface near the equator and the other end in space beyond geostationary orbit (35,800 km altitude). The competing forces of gravity, which is stronger at the lower end, and the outward/upward centrifugal force, which is stronger at the upper end, would result in the cable being held up, under tension, and stationary over a single position on Earth. With the tether deployed, climbers could repeatedly climb the tether to space by mechanical means, releasing their cargo to orbit. Climbers could also descend the tether to return cargo to the surface from orbit.[2

Space elevator - Wikipedia

Nasa space elev
Public Domain, File:Nasa space elev.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

 

[lesliedellow]

When he introduced it the material available wasn't string enough. But that problem has since been removed.

The very first sentence I clap my eyes on in that Wikipedia article:

"To construct a space elevator on Earth the cable material would need to be both stronger and lighter (have greater specific strength) than any known material. "

 

[Radrook]

The very first sentence I clap my eyes on in that Wikipedia article:

"To construct a space elevator on Earth the cable material would need to be both stronger and lighter (have greater specific strength) than any known material. "

This article explains why scientists are saying that it is a very feasible idea and explains why they consider it plausible in fine detail.
Audacious & Outrageous: Space Elevators | Science Mission Directorate

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

I think it will still be awhile. Likely in my life time though. I'm just not sure how they will deal with space debris, satellites...etc. What happens if someone rams it on purpose at the right height so the whole thing crumbles back down to earth? I mean we know that when its high enough it will stay afloat, but cut it off at a certain point and the bottom would fall down.

 

[Radrook]

I think it will still be awhile. Likely in my life time though. I'm just not sure how they will deal with space debris, satellites...etc. What happens if someone rams it on purpose at the right height so the whole thing crumbles back down to earth? I mean we know that when its high enough it will stay afloat, but cut it off at a certain point and the bottom would fall down.

Here is an intermediate idea!

 

[~Anastasia~]

Here is an intermediate idea!

Didn't we learn anything from Babel?




(Just kidding ... or maybe not )

 

[Radrook]

Didn't we learn anything from Babel?




(Just kidding ... or maybe not )

You know! When plans were being made about going to the moon there were some Christians saying that it was tantamount to challenging God in the way that the builders of the Tower of Babel had. When nothing happened then the preaching stopped and the tone changed to saying that the moon is in our vicinity and that there is nothing wrong with exploring it. I came across this in my ministry at that time when a fellow said to me in response:

"Sure! That's what they are saying now since they don't see God taking action! But before, they were huffing and puffing from the pulpit warning the church members that all hell would probably break loose!"

 

[AV1611VET]

How Far are we from Building a Space Elevator?

918 chapters.

Genesis 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

 

[SeventyOne]

Maybe we could just do without the ISS instead.

 

[AV1611VET]

When nothing happened then the preaching stopped and the tone changed to saying that the moon is in our vicinity and that there is nothing wrong with exploring it.

Then build the thing ... don't let God stop you.

 

[Radrook]

918 chapters.

Genesis 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

So from your viewpoint exactly what was God taking umbrage with? That they were building too high? That they were against being scattered? Please keep in mind that he knew they would suffocate from lack of oxygen and would begin to freeze at a certain
elevation.

 

[Radrook]

Then build the thing ... don't let God stop you.

I don't consider it an affront to God. If it is an affront to God, then please explain how.

 

[lesliedellow]

You know! When plans were being made about going to the moon there were some Christians saying that it was tantamount to challenging God in the way that the builders of the Tower of Babel had. When nothing happened then the preaching stopped and the tone changed to saying that the moon is in our vicinity and that there is nothing wrong with exploring it. I came across this in my ministry at that time when a fellow said to me in response:

"Sure! That's what they are saying now since they don't see God taking action! But before, they were huffing and puffing from the pulpit warning the church members that all hell would probably break loose!"

Like all fundamentalists, they missed the point of the story. Going to the Moon is not building a Tower of Babel "reaching up to heaven," because the latter is a metaphor for human beings trying to elevate themselves, with the idea of becoming God's equal.

 

[Radrook]

Maybe we could just do without the ISS instead.

It is a very expensive thing to get things into orbit to the space station using that brutal force method. 'The space elevator is deemed a less expensive and safer way once we know how to build it right. That of course depends on the development of carbon-nano-tube technology which will provide the necessary strength to the tether for the elevator to function. safely.

 

[~Anastasia~]

You know! When plans were being made about going to the moon there were some Christians saying that it was tantamount to challenging God in the way that the builders of the Tower of Babel had. When nothing happened then the preaching stopped and the tone changed to saying that the moon is in our vicinity and that there is nothing wrong with exploring it. I came across this in my ministry at that time when a fellow said to me in response:

"Sure! That's what they are saying now since they don't see God taking action! But before, they were huffing and puffing from the pulpit warning the church members that all hell would probably break loose!"

Ok .... it was a joke ... hence the smileys and "j/k"

Babel wasn't about a constructed tower - it was about the pride of mankind.

That could apply to anything we might do - or not apply. Though with human tendencies, it probably DOES apply in quite a few cases.

Build the thing. Or don't. It will work. Or it won't. That's not really what's important either way.

Peace to you.

 

[Radrook]

Ok .... it was a joke ... hence the smileys and "j/k"

Babel wasn't about a constructed tower - it was about the pride of mankind.

That could apply to anything we might do - or not apply. Though with human tendencies, it probably DOES apply in quite a few cases.

Build the thing. Or don't. It will work. Or it won't. That's not really what's important either way.

Peace to you.

Yes, I knew it was a joke. I just wanted to add some info.

Peace to you as well!

 

[AV1611VET]

First of all, the elevator itself would have to move from the ground out into space at the speed of escape velocity.

Second of all, if this elevator silo breaks at the top, i.e. in the part that's in space, it'll suck all the air off the Earth and we'll suffocate.

 

[JD16]

Second of all, if this elevator silo breaks at the top, i.e. in the part that's in space, it'll suck all the air off the Earth and we'll suffocate.

Emergency cut off valves, just like the once they use in offshore drilling platforms

 

[AV1611VET]

Emergency cut off valves, just like the once they use in offshore drilling platforms

LOL

I was just thinking of the Deepwater Horizon.

They would probably refuse to build the thing until they got all the safety checks and whatnot waived first.

And wouldn't it crumble under its own weight due to the inverse-square law?

 

[JD16]

LOL

I was just thinking of the Deepwater Horizon.

They would probably refuse to build the thing until they got all the safety checks and whatnot waived first.

And wouldn't it crumble under its own weight due to the inverse-square law?

Ha, of course there is always a certain amount of risk involved. Just like the space shuttle programme. 2 of them exploded.

But its always a cost vs benefit, risk vs reward thing...