A space elevator is possible with today's technology
, researchers say (we just need to dangle it off the moon) Space elevators would dramatically reduce the cost of reaching space but have never been technologically feasible.
Is a space elevator possible?
Experts say
a space elevator could be possible with current technology
, especially if we were to build it on the moon. A lunar elevator would not have to contend with the Earth's gravitational force or space debris. There are still many details to iron out, though, including how to build such a monumental structure.
Why space elevator is not possible?
The biggest challenge of building a space elevator may be the 100,000-kilometer-long tether. It would have to be
incredibly strong
to handle the gravitational and centrifugal forces pulling on it. The steel used in tall buildings wouldn't work for a space elevator cable.
How much would a space elevator cost?
A space elevator built according to the Edwards proposal is estimated to cost
$6 billion
.
How long would a space elevator ride take?
Travel on a space elevator would not be fast! The travel time from one end to the other would be
several days to a month
. To put the distance in perspective, if the climber moved at 300 km/hr (190 mph), it would take five days to reach geosynchronous orbit.
How cold is space?
Hot things move quickly, cold things very slowly. If atoms come to a complete stop, they are at absolute zero. Space is just above that, at an average temperature of 2.7 Kelvin
(about minus 455 degrees Fahrenheit)
.
Is China building a space elevator?
China also wants to build a space elevator to
lower costs
. This proposed Sky Ladder system would be fashioned out of carbon nanotubes, and could dramatically cut the cost of shuttling people and materials between the surface and an orbiting station to four per cent of the cost of using rockets.
Where can I build a space elevator?
The greatest tension on a space elevator cable is at
the point of geostationary orbit
, 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above the Earth's equator.
How much cheaper is SpaceX than NASA?
SpaceX now handles
about two-thirds of NASA's launches
, including many research payloads, with flights as cheap as $62 million, roughly two-thirds the price of a rocket from United Launch Alliance, a competitor.
Can you drop a rope from space?
Nope, That's Impossible!
In fact, it is impossible, and here's why… When you haul something up by rope, you generally think of the object being lifted as the weight. Something we don't consider is that the rope has to be able to lift itself too.
Would a space elevator slow the Earth rotation?
Building the
elevator will slow the earth by a negligible amount
. Over time, launching spacecraft will slow it more but bringing back ore from the asteroid mines will speed it back up.
How high is space?
Outer space does not begin at a definite altitude above the Earth's surface. The Kármán line,
an altitude of 100 km (62 mi) above sea level
, is conventionally used as the start of outer space in space treaties and for aerospace records keeping.
Is graphene strong enough for a space elevator?
A space elevator tether needs to be made from a material with strength of at least 50GPa (50000 MPa), so steel is not strong enough. Single-crystal graphene on the other hand, has a tensile strength of 130GPa. … It is
the strongest material ever tested
and will be strong enough to make a space elevator tether.
What is the coldest thing on earth?
This temperature is known as the
Absolute Zero
and has a magnitude of -273.15 degrees Celsius or 0 Kelvin
How long can you survive in space?
Astronauts need space suits to stay alive. You could only last
15 seconds without a spacesuit
— you'd die of asphyxiation or you'll freeze. If there's any air left in your lungs, they will rupture.
Do you feel cold in space?
Actually,
the temperature is colder in space than on Earth
, as we have an atmosphere which keeps us warm. So at the same distance as the Earth from the Sun it's about -50 degrees in space. On Earth, we lose heat through radiation, evaporation of sweat and by conduction of heat to the air.
