What are the benefits of space elevators?

“The space elevator will reduce the cost of getting from Earth to space. It will also allow us to take very large payloads into space very easily, very safely. Because of that, we can build cities on the moon. We can build space stations.

What would be the biggest impact of a space elevator?

Perhaps the biggest factor propelling the idea of a space elevator is that it would significantly lower the cost of putting cargo into space. Although slower than the chemically propelled space shuttle, the lifters reduce launch costs from $10,000 to $20,000 per pound, to approximately $400 per pound.

How would a space elevator work?

A space elevator is a proposed transportation system connecting the Earth’s surface to space. The elevator would allow vehicles to travel to orbit or space without the use of rockets. Gravity would pull downward on the cable, while centrifugal force from the orbiting counterweight would pull upward.

Does the space elevator work?

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 anyone working on a space elevator?

Why are space elevators not built at the North Pole?

A space elevator with cables makes use of the centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of the earth. These forces’ vertical component is highest at the equator, while it is absent at the poles. If you did build a tower at the north pole, a payload would only gain height but no speed.

Is it possible to build a space elevator on Earth?

The cable thickness is adjusted based on tension, it has its maximum at a geostationary orbit and the minimum on the ground. Available materials are not strong enough to make an Earth space elevator practical. Some sources have speculated that future advances in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could lead to a practical design.

What is a space elevator with cables?

A space elevator with cables makes use of the centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of the earth. These forces’ vertical component is highest at the equator, while it is absent at the poles.

How would a space elevator work at the equator?

From a space elevator at the equator, a payload could be lifted to the height of a geostationary orbit. If released, the payload would stay in orbit because the necessary height and speed for an orbit are met. Share Improve this answer Follow edited Apr 2 ’19 at 9:34