The Space Elevator Part1

[tomdan15]

who is watching this in 2011

[matthewakian2]

For all you scientific minded people (cause I don't have a clue), would it be possible to have a space station in low earth orbit (or maybe a bit higher), where a section of the space station could be lowered on a tether into the Earth's atmosphere, low enough that a high flying plane or similar could board, and then be pulled up?

[WDLawless]

What would the return trip to earth be like? We have to return the climbers to Earth for reuse.

[TheWildKiwi]

it's probably a good video and a lot of work but it IS SOOOOOOOOOO SLOW AND that makes it boring...

[folkflying2]

Has anyone pointed out that the concept dates back to 1895; when Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

proposed a free-standing "Tsiolkovsky" tower reaching from the surface of Earth to geostationary orbit?

Nice video. Looks like a lot of work went into it.

[xXNorthWeapon74Xx]

What happen if a plane accidently crashes into it? Or even a whole flock of birds biting the elevator down. Or even nature it self.

[ogicabp4u]

it will slice the plane in two. the flock of birds would break thier beaks so to speak. I'm sure they are not foing to plant it in an earthquake zone!

the carbon tubes are stronger than diamond. (by a very large margin!) any instability can be rectified in space with thrusters attached to the top of the elevator. Any effect will be radial and therfore multiplied many thimes. The forece applied in space has no wind resistance = 1,000x more powerful. Tension is kept via gravity.

do ure hwk!!

[Wraithofvolsunga]

@ogicabp4u

we can't make carbon tubes more than a few micrometers long, thrusters in space require fuel, making it inefficient, tension cannot be maintained at the same time as a geostationary orbit.

It won't slice the plane in two if it hits it broadside. wind resistance goes both ways, not multiplying its effect at all, especially if its a tethered object. Geostationary orbits must be on the equator, which, due to plate tectonics and convection currents, is mostly a big fault line.

[Netyaroze1]

@xXNorthWeapon74Xx

You can bet that around a space elevator there will be a no flight zone. Such a thing will cost hundreds of billion dollars. And they will make sure that there wont be any planes. And the cable is so thin it would be a huge coincidence.

Birds wont do anything a bird would have no effect. The cable has to be extremly strong. There will be forces which are hundred times stronger then any possible natural catastrophe except asteroids and a hit is unlikely almost impossible.

[xXNorthWeapon74Xx]

@Netyaroze1 Didn't think about it that way. Thanks though

[desertblbuesman]

unless the fiber went up in strength an order of magnitude or two, I would stick to the crane and scrap the idea of a space elevator. probably cost 100 times estimates, and fail. PV on the ground like a mofo folks! Space, the final screwup frontier. I'll stick to straw and clay thanks.

[pacificguitarist]

your talking of the carbon nano tubes? its 50 times stronger than steel i thought?

[AndrianGo]

Entertaining the idea to mass produce carbon nanotubes with genetically engineered biological cells. Does anyone have/(know someone) with good biological background to at least entertain this idea. I'd love to do it myself that means 15 years of school. I don't know when I'll have that time.

[themountainviewguy]

lame

[capnvideo2006]

silly hahhaaa

[davidspates]

Nice elevator video. I just put one up on my page called "What Would You Do if..- Elevator". Check it out, it's different. I have a lot of other crazy videos on my page too.

[logster001]

I heard that if an SE was made they would use some kind of carbon nanotube ribbon.

[heliraptorcbm]

the centripital forces would be excedingly grate how would you over come that problem?and what about the the diferanace in the elector magnetic feild if the earth is ground and the magneo sphire is positive there will be amassive voltage differace that would be good in away but what do you do with a lighting bolt?

[LesJulien]

Hi CA,

Thank you for your interesting comments. The whole idea of producing "The Space Elevator" is to promote scientific input, such as yours, and to attempt to spread the space elevator concept to a much wider audience. culminating eventually in producing a more "correct" version. Thanks again.

LJ

[cameronarndt]

Also for what reason do you assume that the base station will be at a permeant land based site? The generally accepted theory is that the base station will be on water so as to allow the elevator to be "steered" in the interest of not being severed by the ISS or any other satellite all of who's orbital trajectories will eventually pass over a static point.

CA

[cameronarndt]

Hello LesJulien,

I appreciate all the work that you have put into the creation of this film however, with some of the details of the elevator you purpose I don't understand the theoretical or scientific support for. For instance why in this segment do you assume that the cable must be launched as a mature cable instead of the more popular idea of first launching a seed cable?

[dcore4]

good video but so slow... speed it up and u could have done all 4 parts in one clip

[z1ny]

I totally agree, you can eliminate entire shots. I'm falling asleep here.

[LesJulien]

Hi Robotguy,

Thank you for your interesting comments and suggestions. The whole idea of producing "The Space Elevator" movie is an attempt to promote general interest in the concept, a sort of 'spreading the Gospel.' Any suggestions, corrections,or ideas, is, of course, an added bonus, so thank you again. Research and development to produce the Elevator will mean raising hard cash. World wide pre-knowledge of the subject may assist in this regard.

All the Best,

LJ

[robotguy]

i can see that you've put a lot of work into this... the SE would probably be lifted initially by an existing heavy lift rocket... and only just enough of it would be launched to unfurl and haul the rest of itself up.

[lightmage007]

i think electromagnetic propulsion would be better.