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2005-10-19 Science & Technology

Wanted: Inventors to Build Space Elevator

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Posted by DanNY 2005-10-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I don't imagine that a space elevator is possible--the forces in play are just too great.

But that being said, I still heartily encourage the effort, because the subsidiary and spinoff possibilities are very possible, practical and economical. Oddly enough, the most ordinary of spinoff applications may prove to be the most profitable in the long run.

For example, steel cable is terribly heavy, expensive, bulky and prone to corrosion. Replacing several tons of steel cable with a few pounds of carbon fiber cable that is twice as strong, creates cost savings in the billions of dollars.

Granted, it will have problems that steel cable doesn't have, but it will be superior for many, many applications.

And who knows? If they actually can make a practical space elevator, it would change everything. A spaceship the size of a destroyer can do a lot more than one the size of a school bus.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-10-19 11:21|| 2005-10-19 11:21|| Front Page Top

#2 beam me up, scotty.

Posted by 2b 2005-10-19 11:22|| 2005-10-19 11:22|| Front Page Top

#3 The cables won't be made of steel, more likely a variant of carbon fibre. Go read Arthur C Clarke's "View from Serendip" or "Fountains of Paradise".

Posted by DWMF">DWMF 2005-10-19 14:30|| 2005-10-19 14:30|| Front Page Top

#4 Was this idea conceived before or after the LSD party?

Posted by The Happy Fliergerabwehrkannon 2005-10-19 17:24|| http://www.calderonswirbelwind.blogspot.com]">[http://www.calderonswirbelwind.blogspot.com] 2005-10-19 17:24|| Front Page Top

#5 Many of these new materials really are amazing in how unnatural they are--the weird things they can do that just seem unreasonable.

For example, they have a 1" diameter plastic rod that is many times stronger than a steel I-beam. A single such rod could form much of the verticle support of a multi-story building.

On a more common note, I've seen a demonstration with an ordinary screw made from an extraordinary alloy. They smashed the screw with a sledge hammer, and then it re-formed to its original shape without a scratch. It healed itself.

Other alloys are flexible at room temperature, but just a few degrees cooler and they violently return to the shape in which they were originally cast. Springs made of this alloy sit idle until cooled, then have almost instant tension or compression of many pounds psi.

Most recently, they've combined carbon nanotubes, one of the strongest substances known, with diamond, one of the hardest. What they will get from that is anybody's guess.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-10-19 18:00|| 2005-10-19 18:00|| Front Page Top

#6 "Most recently, they've combined carbon nanotubes, one of the strongest substances known, with diamond, one of the hardest. What they will get from that is anybody's guess."

Valkyrie pleasers? :)

Posted by Threrert Slarong8575 2005-10-19 19:38|| 2005-10-19 19:38|| Front Page Top

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