Mar 3, 2012

Science Scene - Space Elevator



Space elevators have been our shared dream for years, but like other promising technologies of the future, they’re just concepts on a distant horizon. Now a Japanese construction firm that specializes in the very tall could make them a reality.

Obayashi Corp., which is almost done building the giant structure above, the Tokyo Sky Tree, wants to build a space elevator that would reach 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above the Earth — that’s above the altitude where geosynchronous satellites orbit. It would take a week to ride up the elevator, traveling on some type of vessel tethered to carbon nanotube cables.

In Obayashi’s plan, a carbon nanotube cable would stretch one-quarter of the way from the Earth to the moon, about 60,000 miles (96,000 km) and attach to some type of spaceborne counterweight. The other end of the tether would be anchored at an Earth-based spaceport.

The elevator car could carry up to 30 people and would travel at 125 MPH for a week. Tourists could stay at the waystation at 22,370 miles up, and scientists and researchers could go all the way to the end of the tether. There are unfortunately no leads on cost, where to build it or who would finance the project, however.

Maybe a pipe dream, but greatness is often born of a dream...






5 comments:

  1. It's seems like counter-technology... why not just fly there? It would be sort of like building the first moon colony... and running a phone cable all the way down to Earth!

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  2. Will it have a bathroom inside. A week is a long time to hold it? I like the flying concept better. But it sounds innovative, for sure.

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  3. I love the quote..! I say things like that to myself repeatedly... and who knows..? I would not be surprised to see it in my lifetime..!

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  4. I think this pipe dream my just become reality soon!

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