2007-02-06 03:11:51 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
A space elevator would consist of a tether, with one end grounded and the other end 24,000 miles away attached to a (huge) satellite in geo-synchronous orbit (i.e; It rotates at the same speed and thus stays above the same spot on the equator) about the Earth. Now the trick is to find a material with a tensile strength strong enough to support its own weight and that of some kind of car that can climb up and down the tether and drop people off in orbit or return to the Earth. Carbon nanofibers may do the trick. Bottom line is that would be incredilbly cheap to move people and things off the surface of the Earth and into space. We probably have the technology right now with existing strength of materials to construct one on the moon (1/6th Earth's gravity).
2007-02-06 03:32:17 · answer #1 · answered by stargazergurl22 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The largest cost of space travel is getting from the ground to low earth orbit. The primary benefit of a space elevator - should one ever be able to be constructed - would be to dramatically reduce the cost of lifting a payload to orbit. From there, the costs of moving around the solar system is relatively inexpensive.
2007-02-06 03:43:04 · answer #2 · answered by Egghead 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get to the other side???? lol no it is a cheap and easy means to get into space....
2007-02-06 03:20:32 · answer #3 · answered by jack 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be cheap travel if it could work.
It can"t!
2007-02-06 11:24:24 · answer #4 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋