Are space elevators viable and worth it?
>>8170262
Yes, and yes.
Problem right now is fabrication.
carbon nanotubes greatly lose strength for every atom out of place.
so 10 atoms out of place on a cable that should have gigatons of tensile strength. results in a cable that a few hundred pounds of tensile strength.
>>8170275
How would one produce enough nanotubes for such a project? What would the cost be?
>>8170275
Do you know what a realistic construction for a macroscopic carbon-nanotube-based "rope" would be? Seems to me you need to make strands that are each a continuous nanotube miles long, which is quite a feat. Can they be shorter and braided more like a rope? I just imagine that fraying apart under the massive tension.
Not protesting, I find the idea cool, just don't know much about it.
>>8170298
Billions but i'd be worth the money in the long run
>>8170262
Maybe. Issue 1 is making strong enough materials, issue 2 is power transmission efficiency.
In terms of energy use, space elevators might be less efficient than rockets because of the low efficiency of laser power beaming.
There is an interesting case for a lunar space elevator, which can be constructed with materials we have today. One of the use cases for that is being able to get stuff from LEO to the lunar surface using high ISP, but low thrust ion drives. This makes it cheaper to get a unit of mass to the lunar surface.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_space_elevator
>>8170275
>gigatons to a few hundred pounds
It doesn't work that way. Stop memeing
How would security of the elevator be carried out?
They will never work on Earth.
We could probably do it on Mars with current technology and infinite money.
>>8170262
On Mars yes, on Earth no.
>>8171472
are you afraid refugees get in to get to space?
>>8171472
Unapologetically gunning down anything that didn't come down a specific road, or any flying vehicle that flies over the perimeter, which should be 5 miles in diameter.
A space elevator that brought people to the areas of construction for orbital colonies would be the single most important structure in human history. It would have to be protected under any cost.
>>8171706
and who exactly would have the right to control it?
>>8171714
America, as always.
If we were able to find a material, like carbon nano tubes in a large enough quantity, we could use that as the elevator, but the source for power is another problem.
How do you stop the space station holding the rope from being pulled to earth without constant thrust?
>>8171747
you really should google what a space elevator is.
>>8171714
presumably whatever nation/s funded it's manufacture; or the US World Police.
>>8171696
Are you saying you want sandniggers bringing Islam to space?
>>8171827
dont be so racist senpai, its the religion of penis ;)
>>8171692
why do you say that?
>>8171831
Mars wouldn't require unobtainium fantasy materials. So it's actually doable.
>>8171836
Nanotubes exist.
>>8171979
So do Beryllium hydride and Ozone. That doesn't mean we use them as rocket fuel even though they would give an Isp of 535-670 seconds, vastly superior to even the best LH2/LOX engines. Because for those purposes Beryllium is pretty much unobtainium, too. Just look at the price per kg.
>>8170262
Fucking stupid. One rocket started from literally anywhere on the planet hitting this thing and the jules vernes dream is over.
How do we prevent terrorists from striking this vulnerable and fragile target?
>>8172631
have noone within 50 miles of it? it also will be built in the ocean as well
>>8172631
gas the Muslims, and the Jews too, just to be safe.
