The Space Elevator

[jmm]

For long it only existed in sci-fi books and movies, But now it seems that one of the fictional World Wonders available in Civ may be real soon.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/10/02/space.elevator/index.html

 

[uppi]

Depends on you definition of "real soon". Fusion power will also be available "real soon"

 

[El_Machinae]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article4799369.ece

Japan hopes to turn sci-fi into reality with elevator to the stars

From cyborg housemaids and waterpowered cars to dog translators and rocket boots, Japanese boffins have racked up plenty of near-misses in the quest to turn science fiction into reality.

Now the finest scientific minds of Japan are devoting themselves to cracking the greatest sci-fi vision of all: the space elevator. Man has so far conquered space by painfully and inefficiently blasting himself out of the atmosphere but the 21st century should bring a more leisurely ride to the final frontier.

For chemists, physicists, material scientists, astronauts and dreamers across the globe, the space elevator represents the most tantalising of concepts: cables stronger and lighter than any fibre yet woven, tethered to the ground and disappearing beyond the atmosphere to a satellite docking station in geosynchronous orbit above Earth.

The article is short on one main detail, it doesn't mention if the Japanese government is actually funding these efforts to any serious degree

 

[El_Machinae]

Yeah, that's the reason for the tether strength competition. If I was young enough to restart in chemistry or material science, I think this could be a goal.

http://www.spaceward.org/elevator2010-ts

 

[Masquerouge]

More news!

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,24662622-5014239,00.html

AUSTRALIA could play a key role in the 21st century space race, with competition heating up between Japan and the US to build the world's first "space elevator".

As the technology required to create a physical link between Earth and outer space becomes closer to a reality, discussions of next-generation space exploration have been given new life.

Japan announced recently that it was researching plans to build a space elevator – a link to space that could transport cargo and even tourists – for as little as 1 trillion yen ($11 billion).

"Just like travelling abroad, anyone will be able to ride the elevator into space," chairman of the Japan Space Elevator Association, Shuichi Ono, told The Times.

The news is believed to have shaken up scientists at NASA, who have traditionally focused on rockets to reach space but could now be considering following Japan's suit.

Australia... sure, why not?

 

[El_Machinae]

Tell me that's not kickass
You can watch the promotional video.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25740647#25740647


still no word on Japanese funding!

 

[lovett]

Australia... sure, why not?

Well, it's not on the Equator for one.

Thus, no geostationary orbit.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Anybody else here read Mercury, by Ben Bova? A huge part of the book's plot concerns a space elevator built in Ecuador and the fallout for several characters when religious terrorists destroy it.

 

[Masquerouge]

Anybody else here read Mercury, by Ben Bova? A huge part of the book's plot concerns a space elevator built in Ecuador and the fallout for several characters when religious terrorists destroy it.

Nope, but I read the Mars trilogy by Kim Robinson and there is also a space elevator that gets destroyed... Looks like sci-fi writers like to blow up space elevators.

But who can blame them? Having a cable wrapped several time around the planet is pretty cool

 

[lovett]

Anybody else here read Mercury, by Ben Bova? A huge part of the book's plot concerns a space elevator built in Ecuador and the fallout for several characters when religious terrorists destroy it.

Yeah. Great book.

Wrong though. Any space elevator would have such a low density that it would hit the ground with far less then the force of a floating piece of paper. We're talking about one Kilogram per Kilometre here, so it'd be a bit of a . .. .. .. .. . if your underneath it, but it's not going to do any real damage.

 

[lovett]

Huh? Why would a space elevator be so light?
The determining factor is the strength to weight ratio, which is independant of density.

Yeah, but the strength bit of that equation is made a lot easier by making the weight bit really low. Carbon nanotubes are a case in point, whilst they do have enormous tensile strength, it's their low density (1.3-1.4 g•cm^−3) that make them viable for building a space elevator. It's the specific strength that's important, and the lightness thing allows that to be up to 48,000 kN•m•kg^−1 .

Using a heavy material would require absolutely mind boggling tensile strengths.

 

[Babbler]

I actually did a high school science project on the Space Elevator in Grade 11. I won a silver metal. Also, the CBC aired a story about it that same night.

 

[exhile]

Tell me that's not kickass
You can watch the promotional video.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25740647#25740647


still no word on Japanese funding!

There must be a price tag for the cost & profit for a space elevator. I believe in the viability of a Nuclear Fusion Reactor than a space elevator because the ITER is being constructed as we speak. Not to mention DEMO, which builds upon the ITER is on the drawing board and will more than likely be a real structure than any space elevator picture will ever be.

 

[Luckmann]

Hell yes. About time. Too bad it probably won't happen in my father's lifetime, though.