Need opinions and guidance building a space elevator.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

The Space Elevator is a valid concept and people have been working on it for decades. 10 years ago it was only a couple years away from reality supposedly and the time keeps getting pushed out. There are a lot of problems using this from the Earth, most notably the fact that there is no known material strong enough that people have been able to scale up to the sizes needed.

However, using this concept on the moon makes sense and we have the materials and technology available today to do it. Of course we'd need a reason for it to be useful, like mining on the moon.

The time keeps being pushed back because it isn't viable with the materials and tech we have.

 

[Bloodhammer]

Something made me think of this thread today, so I took a quick look at the Liftport website, and -- surprise -- it looks like as of mid-July, they still hadn't provided those items to many of their backers: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The "Downloads" section of the website still has zero documents in its business and finance section.

One has to wonder what happened to the $100,000+ they raised.

....And they're not buying the stairway to heaven.

 

[skychief]

However, using this concept on the moon makes sense and we have the materials and technology available today to do it. Of course we'd need a reason for it to be useful, like mining on the moon.

This was the primary impetus for the lunar elevator concept. Apparently, theres some element on the moon which is extremely rare on Earth, yet plentiful on the moon. I cant recall what the element is, but it is discussed somewhere in the previous 541 posts.

It was proposed to use Carbon Nano-Tubes to make the ribbon, but at present its too cost prohibitive for that to become a reality. CNTs are very expensive to produce.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

CNTs are actually fairly cheap to produce. People just have a skewed idea of the CNTs that can be produced at present with our current tech. We do not have the ability to produce large CNTs and they lose most of their extreme strength properties on the macro scale (you can't just scale them).

There's also a lack of decent materials to use in a composite with CNTs (hardly surprising given the slippery (non-bonding) nature of CNTs).

 

[sloasdaylight]

Helium 3 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3

 

[fmoore200]

Are non supporting members allowed to nominate a thread for the HoF?

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I'd be surprised if this didn't get a couple nominations the first time round!

 

[bkbirge]

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/ISEC...32481728516&trk=eml-anet_dig-b_nd-pst_ttle-cn

Peter Swan, Ph.D International Space Elevator Consortium BoD

Introduction: The International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) tether climber theme for 2013 focused discussions during the International Space Elevator Conference [in August] and this year’s ISEC Journal – Climb. In addition, a year-long research study is being conducted focusing on the various aspects of the tether climbers for a future space elevator. Space elevator tether climbers include power storage/distribution, motor, tether attachment apparatus, structure, communications, attitude control & determination, and environment control subsystems. The supporting tether system includes the tether, Marine Node, GEO Node, Apex Anchor, and Headquarters. In addition, this study is evaluating the strengths and short-falls of both power alternatives; laser beaming from the surface of the ocean and solar arrays deployed above the atmosphere [at 40 kms].

Study Report: The results of the year-long study will be shown within a ISEC Study Report, to be published during February 2014. This will be available on the ISEC website [www.isec.org]. The chapter layout shows the major topics investigated:

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Tether Climber Operational Phases
3.0 Tether Climber Systems Approach
Major Segment Breakout and Discussions
4.0 Tether Climber Power Sources
5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendix A First 40 Kilometer Transit
Appendix B Tether Material Baseline

This study is addressing the full range of options for space elevator tether climbers. To enable the study to establish a design early in the concept development phase, the study initiated a baseline concept called “Constant Power.” The concept has been discussed previously and was presented at the 2013 International Space Elevator Conference by Dr. John Knapman. The basic concept is that there are design advantages to slow climbing speeds during the heavy gravity portion. This baseline will enable a lighter weight climber due to the relaxation of design critical for motor and gripper apparatus. [Knapman, John, “Tether Climbers at Constant Power,” 2013 International Space Elevator Conference, Washington, August 23, 2013.]

An easy way to contribute to space elevator efforts is to join the International Space Elevator Consortium-- go to: www.isec.org

 

[Roscoe East]

Arthur C. Clarke, of "2001, A Space Odyssey" fame described this in detail back in the sixties. Clarke was an engineer in his day job.

"Fountains Of Paradise" was the first book where he described this. I think it made a recurring appearance in some of his Odyssey sequels (2061 and/or 3001). Cool idea; the great thing about Clarke's sci-fi novels is that they were always based on plausibility.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Must be the Halloween, the Zombies are coming back.

Damn, this is a fine thread .

Regards
Sam

 

[Tituscrow]

Watch the photos at the top of the page scroll past....I love the one of the lecture theatre with about six people in it listening to whatever the 'presentation' was

 

[fmoore200]

Oh man, I was really hoping this would get another debate going..

I was thinking it could be another "so I finally came out.." type thread..

 

[mellowinman]

So what happens if it gets stuck on the 2,420th floor?

 

[Space Pickle]

TO THE SPACEMOBILE!!!


...elevator

 

[paste]

So what happens if it gets stuck on the 2,420th floor?

I suppose you'd be in a space pickle.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Oh man, I was really hoping this would get another debate going..

I was thinking it could be another "so I finally came out.." type thread..

IMO no chance of that, the idea has been perforated more than the Bonnie's and Clyde's last ride.

If, and that's a pretty darn big if, the budding space powers will for some reason focus their efforts to moon mining, and those mines are close to the only spot on the moon surface where a space elevator can be "erected", there's a slim chance that the debate will pick up speed. There are superior ways to move stuff from the surface of the moon to LMO and back than the elevator though.
Quite a few actually.

On earth, the space elevator becomes possible when the weather can be controlled, and when that small obstacle is out of the way, an absolute world peace is also absolutely necessary.

Regards
Sam

 

[fmoore200]

Hi.



IMO no chance of that, the idea has been perforated more than the Bonnie's and Clyde's last ride.

If, and that's a pretty darn big if, the budding space powers will for some reason focus their efforts to moon mining, and those mines are close to the only spot on the moon surface where a space elevator can be "erected", there's a slim chance that the debate will pick up speed. There are superior ways to move stuff from the surface of the moon to LMO and back than the elevator though.
Quite a few actually.

On earth, the space elevator becomes possible when the weather can be controlled, and when that small obstacle is out of the way, an absolute world peace is also absolutely necessary.

Regards
Sam

I'm not talking about a legitimate debate between scientific scholars, I'm talking about the train wreck sort of debate that can only be found on internet forums..

 

[P Town]

So what happens if it gets stuck on the 2,420th floor?

You'll have to use the stairs.

 

[Gazman]

Oh man, I was really hoping this would get another debate going..

I was thinking it could be another "so I finally came out.." type thread..

So..I finally came out of the Space Elevator...

 

[fmoore200]

So..I finally came out of the Space Elevator...