Is it possible to build an elevator to space or the moon?

Answer 1

Not to the moon, but the space elevator has been a theoretical possibility for decades. Now with carbon nanotubes, we are one step closer. Time will tell if we really can do it. If we do, it will dramatically reduce the cost of sending materials into orbit.

Answer 2

The problems with this idea are:

1. The ammount of material it would require to build an "elevator" that high

2. Getting through earth's atmosphere, where temperatures are extremely high

3. A heat/radiation shield that is lightweight enough that fuel consumption wouldn't be outrageous getting something up there. Also, with an elevator, you would be exposed to the radiation (from the Van Allen belts) for a lot longer time period, which would make the radiation poisoning deadly.

4. Whatever you want to build an elevator to has to be in geosyncrous orbit with the earth. So, basically, it cna't be orbiting earth, it has to be stationary, so that leaves the moon and almost anything out

5. Things hitting it

6. Anythign orbiting earth would collide with it if it orbits lower than the top of the elevator (so definately not to the moon, many things are orbiting between here and the moon)

7. Upper atmosphere weather/lightning

8. Corrosion of the tether/other material

9. Every string-like object has a natural frequency, so would a tether or basically anything. If any kind of vibrations (even the elevators motion) would match this natural harmonic, the tether/whatever could become unpredictable and break.

So basically, fuel consumption would be high because the materials required to be used as a heat/radiation shield basically limit this idea. It might be more reasonable for non-living cargo first, (with humans still going up in rockets), although this too is still aways off. Things have to be done to make sure if the cord were to break, anything that would fall wouldn't be catastrophic to those of us on the surface. Currently, no material that meets teh requirement for this is available (strong enough, protective enough)

Research in all of these areas is of course, underway, but I really don't see this happening anytime soon. Yeah, it is possible, but not with current technology.

Answer 3

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).

Answer 4

ahab...Heinlein was a science FICTION author, not a real scientist. I love how people cite fictional books and television shows when talking about reality. *insert rolling eyes*

NotEasilyFooled picked himself a good name for he is not fooled by this conundrum. In theory, a space elevator or tether to geosynchronous orbit is possible. (That's 22,000 miles up and stopping off anywhere in the middle would not be practical...read, "safe") It would require advancement in materials technology which, at this time, would seem to be almost insurmountable.

No way no how could we go all the way to the moon...for in just one month the thing would have twisted itself around the Earth 30 times. Do people simply not THINK about the fact that both ends of an elevator have to always be in line with each other? It literally would be as silly as saying we could build an elevator from the ground to a plane flying across the country.

Interestingly enough, one of the best uses for a tether system is not for transportation, but for the production of energy. If the cable is made of conductive material, it would generate electricity as it sweeps through the Earth's magnetic field. Tethers can also be used as a propulsion system...essentially creating a slingshot that could lift satellites to higher orbits. They attempted an experiment with a 20-mile tether aboard the space shuttle but it malfunctioned.

Answer 5

It is theoretically possible to build an elevator into space. NASA is actually working on a prototype design right now. Using a carbon nanotube filament as the cable. The we can create these nanotubes in the lab, but implementing them on a large scale is problematic. These nanotubes are as strong as steel, but one sixth the weight.

Answer 6

Robert Heinlein thought so as evidenced by the inclusion of the idea in "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". And apparently, serious scientific debate has begun about a wire system connecting the Earth and the Moon, allowing for freight to be raised and lowered between the two bodies.

http://www.islandone.org/LEOBiblio/SPBI132.HTM

Answer 7

Who says such a device has to be made of matter?
Gravity is a very weak force compared with electomagnetism, and that is a force constantly being increased in closed systems. With development of magnetic range enhancers, I believe it would eventually be possible, given the will and the funding.

Answer 8

laying a nor charge lifting cable from space to earth is better
than an elevator that needs to spins as the earth rotates nor stop

Answer 9

Into space, yes, but not to the moon.

the upper "floor" of the elevator would have to be in geo-syncronous orbit, which the moon is not. . .

Answer 10

nothing is impossible. it's only depends if the human race wants to built one or not. remember when we prove them wrong (armstrong and team - moon landing) to the groups of knuckle-brains who claim it is impossible to land on moon.