The Space Elevator

[DrChretien]

For those of you insisting that they are 'retarded' for building an elevator to Mars, please watch /watch?v=_-XoafyJ9K4. The retards are SLINGSHOTTING them to Mars and Venus.

[TheMrweirdo1]

with current american education standards, i give it 100 years

[videocritic2463]

yeah that is a great thought, only problem is that there is no resources to build it since all of it is used on people blowing each other up.

[METALSHART]

this can be done. but no i dont think an elevator to mars can happen and no i dont even think an elevator directly to the moon can happen.. but i do think they can make these elevators connected to space stations which can make maintenance on satelites easier, and solar panels can help power the earth. but the only problem with even going to mars, is mars has to be terraformed to live on. and terraforming would cost immense amounts of money and labour, and travel to mars has never been done.

[ridingdirtyface]

SerbianPaladin

"Also, building a separate elevator on Mars would lead to a possible utilization or even colonization of the planet"

Well, uh...theres the issue of mars not having magnetic protection...from..er..the SUN....

[TheMissingno]

I was always optimistic about this, until I found out that GEO is about 6 earth radii above the surface..

[netwars6]

Lol'd at them proposing a line to Mars.

Do they really think that Mars and Earth stay the same distance apart all throughout the year?

If so, then this whole elevator concept will never be a success under their control.

[SerbianPaladin]

Are you kidding? No sane person would propose an elevator from Earth to Mars, but the travel to Mars would be 100 times cheaper than now by using the elevator to land on Earth. Also, building a separate elevator on Mars would lead to a possible utilization or even colonization of the planet and it would be much easier to build it on mars than on arth because of lower gravity. The same stands for the Moon.

I am sure that this idea is the future of mankind and will be feasible in a few decades.

[RIOT690]

That, unles Jihad comes over with their planes and fucks everything up by crashing into the lines that stretch from the ground up. >:C

[ThomsonFly12331]

the video gets me all emotional i might cry :'(

[ThomsonFly12331]

this is the kinda stuff i wanna see if 2012 doesnt fucken happen

[peteheatb3]

University of Idaho is researching as well :) dont forget us! :D

[xdarkiller]

and how are we gond build it ? i mean we need to bbuild like a tower around it to build it ... ? uuh ?

[MTTT1234]

no, you just have to shoot a satellite with the ribbon in a geo-synchron orbit in

36 000 km hight and let the ribbon go down to the ground

[abram730]

It has to be higher then 36,000Km gravity will pull on the ribbon so the orbit need to pull that plus the weight of the loads.

[RicardoDNPereira]

least century, I remember people asking how to make a computer the size of a entire city block to fit in our pockets...

Wait I'm completely wrong, they never imagined that computer would fit in our pockets, so please, don't laugh, and don't challenger science and the development. There are still many techs yet to be researched. Nano is one of them. I believe it is possible to build it.

[thefury187]

Did I just see that it would cost 10 billion to build rofl im going to be a old man by the time this happens in this current economy

[xXGuitarZeroXx]

The same technology that will be used to create the ribbon out of carbon nano tubes will be used to change the shape of molecules at the atomic level (nano science), thus eventually we will be able to take a banana peel and turn it into a bar of gold so the amount of money spent on projects like this is of no concern to the evolution of humanity. Nanotechnology will create an abundance from waste and we will no longer have a need for money, capitalism and greed.

[thefury187]

Don't know what world u live in but that isn't happening.......

[xXGuitarZeroXx]

How do you know? what is your proof? At least my prediction is based on the fact that technology grows exponentially and surprises us on a regular basis. We could not have predicted all of these things we have today 30 yrs ago so what is stopping us from doing 100 times as much in the next 30 yrs? We have to stop thinking that money is the only way to do things, its not the money that gets the job done... its us.

[Ninjaturtletyke5]

your right, but money is the best system we have to get things done.

now you could eliminate money all together and everyone could get a decent amount of everything they need with still plenty to go around. the only problem with that is people are to greedy and to dishonest for that to work like it should

so a shorter way to put this is people are not going to put their time and effort into something they are not going to get payed for

[zombe08]

I definitely agree with you on that one.

[Froggy711]

@thefury187

10 billion is peanuts to the US govt.

[thefury187]

rofl not anymore my friend not anymore

[Knowwon249]

@Froggy711 Even though they don't have 10 billion to spend, they still spend 10 billion every second on shit.

[Videogameland]

Wow, just this makes me think how creative and wise the Human race is, but we have to wait for a while until mankind stops slaugtering each other...

[BugsyZabaleta]

We need to have both reusable spaceplanes and the elevator really.

The elevator for cargo, lifting millions of tons of material up into space is not going to work with rockets etc.

.You need to build something huge to take 100's of people to Mars for example.

We need spaceplanes because it will probably take a long time (weeks) to go up the elevator, which is not convienient for humans.

Also the elevator can be used to slingshot things out the solar system, saving fuel.

[SubAudio4]

Lets say space is just a load of empty nothing, lets put the brain trust and money towards solving the problems on this planet?

[EbilPhish]

Theres a lot in space. Pulling in a single asteroid would give us enough metal for decades to thousands of years (depending on the metal).

Orbital solar power can help with energy problems. It's already being considered for California even without a space elevator for around 2016.

In addition to that, the technology that we invent getting there will help other areas too. The space race gave a huge boost to computer technology.

Right now a lot of our problems are caused by limited resources.

[JanMetabolic]

what if a meteor hits the line?

[RicardoDNPereira]

Hydrogen alright... but what about oxygen... not so renewable if you think about it, and processes to extract oxygen from water takes a lot of time without warming the planet. Do you know that the current space program polutes the world enought to appear in the global percentage of polution?

Besides, the space elevator is probably going to work by solar energy. On earth, the solar energy is not that powerful to capture because of the ozone layer... but in outerspace there is no ozone layer.

[RicardoDNPereira]

I'm sorry rowen, but you got to understand... The space elevator is expensive true, but dont forget that in its final cost is included the estimated price that is going to be expended on fuel for trips to space to build it...

the space travel cost to build the elevator is included in that estimated price. You can now draw your conclusions...

besides, its impossible to keep up space exploration with such big fuel prices... thats why space exploration stoped after the travels to moon...

[thefury187]

Thats probably why space trips cost millions

[LuckyChatt]

Lets say you have a reusable rocket? its not possible to make a rocket that is completely reusable... also, the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is not enough to send something into space.

[333333333333333365]

wow, great timing between song and movie!

[frozensalad]

it is said that the elevator could be using solar energy. if this is true only the construction will be the cost.

As of today, a 1 time use rocket costs 5m~15m dolars, depending on model and size. A resueable rocket would easly cost x5 than that.

The safety will also play a role (the elevator is safer..)

If you examine it as a long time invesment, it pays well better than rockets..

[Abanamat85]

the song is Just Wave Hello - Charlotte Church

[arbide2]

The part of this video that lets it down is when we build an elevator all the way to mars. That is way too far fetched.

[SerbianPaladin]

It is IMPOSSIBLE to build a space elevator to Mars. But it is not impossible to build one ON Mars, actually it is even easier to do it there than on Earth. This depicts the possible Martian space elevator, so you would climb the elevator on Earth into space, than travel to Mars by some other means and land there, if you want to go back, climb with a Martian elevator. Travel between planets is not so hard(energetically speaking), getting all the way up is the big deal.

[Xalimdor]

Whoaa.. just.. whoa.. blows my mind. =D"

Good Video.

[greenisgood]

lol

[savata71]

Watch the video "Space bike BG" on YouTube!

[camtasia1191]

i like it but 9/11 is stuck in my head..im nost saying it will happen to the elevator but it might =[ why cant people get along thats the main concern of the world

[SerbianPaladin]

If it is EVER built, you can be sure that it would be more than adequately protected. No fly zone in a 200 km radius for example(it would probably be built in the Pacific, so that's not a big problem).

[Sonyoooo3]

Then the next future generation are to harvest matrials like no or less atmostphear and the space elivator are the perfect transport but it need to be placed at north and south pole area?  What about space station for melting metal etc. making boble metal like planet etc. and building rooms garden etc. inside the boble metal?

[Pyrro123456789]

Truly inspiring. If man kind could get their shit together we could accomplish so much.

[xaviervmewtwo]

If we could spend 700 billion to bail a bunch of losers, we could spare 10 billion to invest in our future.

[reecemovies]

im 14 and i like this idea :D

[SerbianPaladin]

Than stop wasting your time on youtube and start studying! xD Just kidding, I'm a (future) aerospace engineer(rocket scientist) and I still waste my time here. :-D

[Abanamat85]

Procrastination truly prospers with youtube, wiki, and facebook

[neal1234567809]

wow 2 years left guys! i cant wait any longer

[patje7]

Don't know what the music is. But yes, it's time to build and discover in space. Science fiction can be true, if we want.

Not only for astronauts, for eachone who can fallow a course to be an astronaut.

I find, it's time to begin discover other worlds for real now. Don't wait any longer.

[cody7799]

I've got a question. What's the song that's playing?

[RichGilly]

Yea right, I can see it now. 50 thousand feet, 100 thousand, 150 thousand... SNAP!...

Oh shit...

AAAAAAAAAAAaaaHHHhhhHHHhhhhHHh­hhh!

[gregtestagent]

right now some Martin is watching this with a scared look on his face.

[LargeLad100]

Like we're going to be round long enough to build this. Arthur C Clarke came up with this nearly 40 years ago!

[Utka9]

Hi LageLad100- actually have some infos on Alan C Clarke but in french- which book(s) in english would you recommend?

thks

[jakegrass87]

Nano carbon tubes.  HAHA!!! In the words of Dave Chappelle, "Space Nigga, I'm trying to get that red rock!"

[klf2233]

what's the name of the music?

[jtorcaz]

Lunar bases? I need more information, or I am not paying attention. What does a Lunar base have to do with the space elevator? Surely you cannot build an elevator that goes up to the moon, the moon orbits Earth and it would bend and destroy the elevator.... Of course. *deedeedee*

[klf2233]

It's about that going space by this elevator would be much chepaer (even 20 times), also going to moon would be cheap enough

[jtorcaz]

I'd take off the moon part though, I don't get how they would get there by an elevator.

[klf2233]

I knew it, you're a dumb american. You don't go by this elevator straight to the moon, just into space moron.

[sexwax01]

wow ropes are so cool

[ParsecondSpace]

Obama wants to delay the human space program for 5-10 years. In reality, it will likely be longer than that because most of the NASA workforce will leave, and there will be no one to train the new engineers.

Brilliant Obama, just brilliant.

[MysteryMan008]

Well if that's the case obama has definetly lost my vote

[scott8anthony8]

this video is so inspiring; the awe of space; its vastness and possibilities. it's true, terrorists may try to destroy the great creation; does that show how man really does its best to destroy itself when it's on the verge of greatness??

[MysteryMan008]

Well I would hope that we would hire loyal security guards and survailence service to keep the space elevator safe from terrorists

[shkaro]

One can only wonder what would terrorists do if (and when) they (eventually) get to the moon. Bet your ass a 100 nuclear warheads they would build a super duper space station and then destroy the Earth. But don`t worry, Ironman will come to our rescue...D`oh!

[shkaro]

One can only imagine what would the terrorists do if (and when) they (eventually) get to the moon. Bet you`re thinking "they would build a super duper space station and then destroy the Earth". But no fear, if that happens, Ironman will come to our rescue..D`oh!

[subach]

I'll take one.

[mmysama]

A cable would have to be long enough to reach geosynchronous orbit. Thats more than 50,0000 miles away. and it'll need some sort of a counter weight on top that will weight more than the rest of the vehicle, and any payload, combined. A cable that long would be a great target for future terrorists. All they need to do is cut it in one place, and mankinds greatest creation will collapse.

[twdarkflame]

..or they just need to scare us so we dont try to do it to start with ;)

A space elivator is something that will never die once one is made.

Sure, you can cut the cable, at best destroy the station.

But once its made, the idea is out there, the concept of shuttles will seem old. Many nations will start building their own. Building is hard, but the research and expirements needed to work out how to make it are much harder ;)

[jonasrichards]

YO! I have a question... the satellite has to be in perfect orbit with the station on the ground right? What happens when it gets a little off? Won't the laser "fuel" then be missing the target?

Just wondering

[igg73]

so uhhh....when the earth spins and the elevator is pointing at the sun, would that cause any difficulties or "bitches" that you know of

[ELuhn]

There is a rather large temperature differential between the sunlit side and the shadow side. Current spacecraft and satellites regularly have to deal with this "bitch," in the form of insulation and shielding. Clever engineering would even make use of this to supply energy the system (with some to spare, I expect).

Also, it would make for a bloody big sundial. :o>

[FranceHopper]

Laser propulsion? Is that even possible? I can see laser guidance... Not only will it cost alot, it'll take alot of time, and it'll have to be pretty fast. I think it's a cool idea and yes, it is a real project.

[HAL11000]

The system directs a laser on a solar pannel that powers electric motors for the climber. And now for something completly different, enter 'MagBeam' on wikipedia.

[meilzonwheelz]

I'm pretty sure the only major problem was finding a material strong enough to make the cable out of. We already have heaps of geosyncronous satelites and machines that can climb cables. I think they are developing the material using nanotechnology but it certainly doesn't seem that far off...

[subach]

Won't be long, they just made plastic steel a few months ago. Strong as steel, light as plastic and transparent.

[colecchristensen]

You must be talking about Plasteel, but that was made long ago in a galaxy far, far away.

[warcraft1920]

Its somthing to look forword to. Its to bad most of us will be dead before this becomes real.

[ParsecondSpace]

Well, actually, construction should hopefully begin by 2030!

[HAL11000]

Man, why is there is so much animosity here?

[eastcoaster187]

bullshit

[revtyson]

Go watch your porn little boy!

[eastcoaster187]

shut up u little bitch

[revtyson]

No, I will not noobie! You are the little bitch. All you can do is say bullshit and mom whens dinner... lol...

[ParsecondSpace]

No, it's actually quite real. Construction is expected to begin within the next 15-20 years.

[cptnosdn]

WOW!!! Like No. This will never happen..To all the trekkie's out there, didnt ya know that the vulcans are gonna show up soon, and then we will go where no man has gone before! (star trek music starts) Starring Patrick Stewart, Johnathon frakes, LOL!

[Innapropriate782]

How do they plan on connecting an elevator from earth to mars considering both planets have contending rotations and orbits?

[libor2]

The plan is to make a separate elevator on Mars. Mars is about 0.3 AU from Earth, so the length of the ribbon would be impossible to reach.

The hardest part of the trip is taking off and landing because of gravity - travelling in free space is much more efficient. Elevator promises to get over the hard part. Once we have a ship on orbit, it's not a big problem to get to Mars with current technology.

[ninelivecat]

Yes, I remember first reading about the Space Elevator in Kim Stanley Robinson's Sci Fi novel Red Mars.Extra-Terrestrial space elevators, Cool !!

[SandShinobi535]

Im sure they will do something with the elevator. Like maybe having the elevator constantly orbiting as well, im sure they will think of something.

[marcelojcsilva]

Upii sapo-boi cândida mesa aí agora não o papel pisa sola, folha, becker. Xiita alça da mola céu da boca, descarta magra beringela pomba-lesa, antena roncou, plástico e verme nada não cebola cento e oito chave coração-mole, baba, catota, bite-bite, ralou cimento chuva frita aí pedra-pomes, bússola, amplexos. Um monte de merda que muito gringo otário nem vai notar que é prá tirar onda com eles. Tentam ler pensando que é um expert escrevendo algo numa língua exótica. Otários!

[Rekondite]

It's definitely possible although I think great development (Orbital Stations, Solar Power Stations, etc) won't be completed for the next 50-75 years or so...

[warrior529]

oh yeah.. lets ride a boat off the *flat* world searching for a new trade route or yeah lets all ride in these big metal flying things that travel continent to continent in search of adventure... i know LETS BUILD AN ELEVATOR TO SPACE!!!!!

[sirandrew89]

The point is that an object in geosyncronous orbit tethered to the earth will experience forces propelling it away from the earth and so function as a counterweight. Tie a rock to a bit of string and spin it around your head! The principle is sound though and achiable with moder technology though the clip is a tad on the ambitious.

[GuiltySpark347]

great video!!

[minasfak]

Space elevator is smthing Arthour Klark had made assumptions on & described it in his novel "3001 the final Odysee", before he died...

[mjmcboingboing]

i never think theyd come up with a space elevator that is so random. why do they want one anyways?

[ParsecondSpace]

Reasons? Hmm...let's see:

-Cheap, clean energy beamed from space to Earth

-Jumping-off point for manned exploration of the solar system

-orbital "dock" from which ships will leave

-easy way to reach space and mine asteroids for their trillions of dollars worth of metals and minerals

-and many more...

[AnimeExtremist]

OH MY GOD!!!! That is so Awsome, the background music fits in so well. I sure hope we do expand human civilization into space.

[cody7799]

Any idea what the music is?

[klakkin]

imangine if there are like thousands of these things ,..the world would resemble a giant kush ball!

[alien8ted]

Awesome video! There's now a new space race, this time a privately funded one, much faster and more efficient than the state-run programmes. Soon we'll have space elevators, orbital hotels, moon bases and solar sail vessels. Wish I'd been born 50 years later!

[ParsecondSpace]

Me too!