Wanna Ride a Space Elevator?

While this sounds great, I would be very worried about the elevator being impacted by all of the space garbage & satellites we have deposited into our outer orbits.

Maybe there is a way to incorporate a force-field?

Im very curious as to how the thing would hold up to lightning and induced charges from wind.

Of course, with the current state of the world a better question might be, how will it hold up to 747's.

And add ozone, acid rain (microscopic sulfuric acid/water particles), meteorites, smog gases, aurora discharges and so on.

"And add ozone, acid rain (microscopic sulfuric acid/water particles), meteorites, smog gases, aurora discharges and so on."

And common sense

These all seem relatively trivial risks compared to balancing on top of a massive tank of rocket fuel with a contolled chemical inferno at it's bottom.

We've already had this whole conversation here

the carbon nanotubes have the answers to a lot many doubts ( which are absolutely valid)...

As we know Diamond is the strongest element on earth, however, the Carbon nanotubes are having 40 times greater Molecule density, which means very less weight and UNIMAGINABLE STRENGTH!!1

about the doubts regarding the environmental hazards,

first: - carbon nanotubes are pretty immune to the chemical attacks due to their own bonding structure (search CARBON NANOTUBES on wikipedia for more info)

second: - the platform on earth that would hold the cable ( it is called ANCHOR) would be mobile. i.e: - it would be a moving body floating on the water (Oceans).

just by moving the anchors, the hazards like meteor attack and lightening can be avoided.

VERY INTERESTING FACT:- Has anyone thought of the fact that how would this 144,000 miles long cable defy the gravity? will it not fall down?

The answer to it is --- NO. it would not...

to make it more clear, just assume the following example: -

take a rope and tie its one end to a ball. Now take the other end of the rope in your hand and start swinging the ball over your head ( be careful not hit yourself )...

you will notice that the ball does not fall down...

now just imagine that the tiny peace of rope is 144,000 miles long and the hand holding it is THE EARTH. And the ball is the SPACE ELEVATOR hanging onits other end...

does that make it clear... i hope it does....

"VERY INTERESTING FACT:- Has anyone thought of the fact that how would this 144,000 miles long cable defy the gravity? will it not fall down?

The answer to it is --- NO. it would not..."

Please site your "FACT".

If you were right their could be no geosynchronous orbit at ~22k miles. Think about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit

The centripetal force on any object turning in sync with Earth past 22236 miles will pull the object away from Earth. I'll assume the 122k miles at the tail end will support the first 22k miles.

one amazing advantage of the unbelievable Molecular density: -

We can make the rope with so small crossection that it would not be affected by the worst of the storms!!!

discovery of the CARBON NANOTUBES have just reincarnated this project... otherwise it was already rejected 50 years ago...

visit this page for further information: -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator

On my website transcendia.org there is a link to a little video clip for a proposed Space Elevator. It is dependent on carbon nanotubes, and photon reactive motor propulsion. Does seem it is a long shot, but possible. I am told the best place for such a thing is about 50 miles off the coast of Ecuador, where there is very little wind. Further I am told you have to build the thing from the Spaceport, Spacestation Terminal from Space to ground. It would be a great engineering feat. However we would be wise now if we want high altitude stations on the cheap, to revisit high altitude helium balloons or blimps for they could often do work done by satellites.

Marshall Savage in his book "The Millenial Project" proposes using Mt Kilimanjaro as the launch center. 15000 feet up. near equatorial, and thus adding the speed of rotation of the earth to the the initial speed of the the rocket for orbit..etc. but it would justify fairly well for a space elevator too.

And as a happy coincidence, we may find enough generated static to power the planet.

And now having read the referenced discussion (gawd I love you guys) it seems there are many problems that offer potential for exploitation.

how about a 22,000 mile long Peltier junction - the temperature difference should be substantial. That said perhaps we string a billion of these and use them as a heat sink for global warming.

repair may be one of the first practical exploits of nanos. tiny solar powered carbon tube stichers running up and down the cable throughout their lives repairing frays.

if 22,000 miles is the *balance* point, if we extend it to 44,000 miles do we get a significant *pull* ? can I use an enormous load cell on the anchor to generate power?

re: the question about conductivity, impressed charge etc, if as I raise the frequency in a conductor (starting with say 60 Hz) the tendency is to eventually *crawl* out onto the surface so that high frequency actually runs on the surface; what happens as I lower the frequency down to a wave of 24 hour frequency? (I'm stating this badly, but it is early and yet lots of coffee already - please bear with me) Not many folks work in ultra low frequency - is there physicist in the house?