As much as a love the idea of a space elevator, we are nowhere close to making this happen. Even if we had strong enough materials, the logistics of constructing something that is 37,000 km in length (longer, actually) is way beyond our current capabilities.
And even if we had one built, the cost to maintain it would be an economic no go. Add to that the difficulty of designing a vehicle that can climb a 37,000 km structure in a reasonable amount of time while sustaining a liveable environment. Not to mention the danger posed by space junk, and every single satellite orbiting below geosynchronous orbit.
In other words, even if a space elevator was theoretically within our means, the practical challenges would be out of this world (pun intended).
khendron t1_ixze2zi wrote
Reply to Space Elevators Are Less Sci-Fi Than You Think by Sorin61
As much as a love the idea of a space elevator, we are nowhere close to making this happen. Even if we had strong enough materials, the logistics of constructing something that is 37,000 km in length (longer, actually) is way beyond our current capabilities.
And even if we had one built, the cost to maintain it would be an economic no go. Add to that the difficulty of designing a vehicle that can climb a 37,000 km structure in a reasonable amount of time while sustaining a liveable environment. Not to mention the danger posed by space junk, and every single satellite orbiting below geosynchronous orbit.
In other words, even if a space elevator was theoretically within our means, the practical challenges would be out of this world (pun intended).