Edited by author 09-19-2003 11:18 AM
The carbon-nanotube-enabled Space Elevator: Possible? Impossible? Unlikely? Waste of Time?

I hope they use it to put new nano-sun panels in space to provide the entire world's energy needs.

The only downside is it seems the connection to Earth will have to be in a deliberately hard to reach location.

Irregardless, I can't wait to ride!

No point on Earth is hard to reach in this day and age. A large floating island on the equator is the best bet. Possible? Yes! Sir Clarke has worked out most of the major problems already. The only current hurdle is manufacturing the material needed. That and Greenpeace protesting the "disruption" this structure would cause. Waste of Time? Only if you think we should still be at the pounding on rocks stage of Human evolution!

Hi, Thanks for noticing the work that we are doing. It will take a long time, there are lots of problems, and it wont be easy - but its worth the effort. My company chose April 12 to coincide with www.yurisnight.net - so that is why the clock is ticking away down to a specific day. By our estimates, based on the current level of technology (Ribbon development, and Lasers, and building and deploying rockets and boats) we anticipate a 15 year construction schedule.

We appreciate your support and enthusiasm. Take care. mjl

I believe that if there is another "Apollo project" it should be building of a space elevator. Besides all the benefits of its own it would also help nanotechnology development.

Edited by author 12-11-2003 10:49 AM

I believe that if there is another "Apollo project" it should be building of a space elevator.

It will be interesting to see what comes of Bush's anticipated Dec. 17th announcement of a renewed space effort. There will be coverage on http://liftwatch.org/, along with all our other space elevator news and info.

I am an engineer for Pratt & Whitney and on the Advisory Board for Carbon Designs, Inc. We now have validated predictions for the ultimate strengths of the carbon nanotube composites that we will have to market within 1 year.

Our supermaterial will be strong enough to build the elevator.

But we have to sell it to make airplanes and cars and stuff first.

We are the ones who are going to make it happen.

The website: www.nanotubecomposites.com

The future is comming!

Functional nano-tube ribbons seem likely in the next few years. The biggest elevator bottle-neck appears to be finding a suitable power source. Laser power beaming would cost over $1.5 billion for 6 lasers, and take 5 yrs to build by Bennett. Is it possible that Ballard, or another hydrogen fuel-cell company will have a commercially available 500 Kw power source that weighs a few tonnes, available in a few yrs? The market is there, esp. for military applications. Then we'd just be waiting on the actual investment capital, right?

what about using He2 or H2 to lift to the edge of buoyancy, followed with parabolic mirrors to direct sunlight onto a photovoltaic cells?

You'd need a parking brake for nighttime stops, tho ;)

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