The Space Elevator
June 14th, 2006
Written By: Adam Sussman
With NASA offering a $400,000 prize-fund to encourage the development of the Space Elevator this science fictional idea has come to life.
There are two companies who have made mainstream with their Space Elevator developmental work; the LiftPort Group and X-Tech Projects.
According to LiftPort
The LiftPort Group (LPG) is dedicated to building a mass transportation system to open up access to the inner solar system (LEO, GEO, the Moon, Mars, and asteroids). The Space Elevator will be at the heart of this revolutionary transportation service. By opening up broad-based access to Earth orbits and the inner solar system, LPG will help bring about the creation of entire new markets. Based in space commerce, these new markets can only become viable through safe, inexpensive, routine access to the inner solar system. In short, we at LiftPort Group believe that development of the space elevator is a crucial step in the future of Earth and space.
Here are some quick key facts about this project: (Economist, June 10th 2006)
- The cable would have to be nearly 22,250 miles (35,800km) long.
- Cable would have to be strong and light weight to support its own weight.
- Carbon nanotubes, tiny molecular-scale threads of carbon atoms, would be strong enough to build such a cable.
- Technology is not yet ready to build the nanotubes in such quantity but could be by the year 2013.
- Could take elevator several days to make the trip to orbit.
- Power would be generated utilizing solar panels that receive power from a laser beamed from the ground.
- Cost: $10 Billion to build. LiftPort estimates that satellites could be launched for around one thousandth of the cost of using rockets.
June 15th, 2006 09:47
The last graphic is good, but I like the version we came up with. Shows everything to scale (give or take a pixel) except the width.
http://www.liftport.com/scale.jpg
And the bit at the top is out of whack as well. That’s the counterweight which will be the craft that deployed the ribbon plus a few hundred construction lifters, parked nose to tail. Again, it’s a problem or resoultion.
June 15th, 2006 10:03
Shit, dude…
If the cable snaps, does the counterweight just fly off into space?
Not only does the cable have to support its own weight, but we might need to Hoover up the space trash floating around out there, since running into it at a few thousand miles per hour would probably sever the cable.
June 15th, 2006 10:43
Hey Brain,
Thanks for your post!
I’ve been asked two questions and I think there is no one better equipped to answer them then you!
1. What happens if the cables snap? Will 22,500 miles of cable come crashing down?
2. Where would something like this be built?