[Caoimhan]

Thanks for the link. Last time I checked, the longest nanotubes were measured in micrometers, and were only made in tiny amounts in labs.

If they're making them in "tons" now, it could possibly be doable. I wonder just how long the strands are now?

By the way, there's the possibility for huge amounts of power from a single space elevator. Because the thing would pass through the ionosphere, we could get a lot of electricity from that alone.

[MicroHydro]

I have been watching the Spaceward foundation and Elevator 2010 for some time: http://www.elevator2010.org/site/competition.html

The bottom line is: No nanotube fiber of any dimension has ever been demonstrated to have the required tensile strength.

So far it is all theory, wishes, and dreams.

[julianj]

Once I'm up on the platform of the Space Elevator I'm going to use my Zero Point Energy powered scanner to search the Earth for all that Abiotic oil which will save us from PO.

</sarcasm>

Anyway, I find it sad that all my space geek dreams won't happen because we will have a lot more pressing problems that developing this system.

BTW, aren't there dangers if the "thread" breaks and comes hurtling back to earth at some whomping velocity?

[DomusAlbion]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('julianj', 'B')TW, aren't there dangers if the "thread" breaks and comes hurtling back to earth at some whomping velocity?

[agmart]

"What happens if it breaks?
The short answer is that (much like the string-and-weight example) the portion of the elevator above the break point flies outwards, whereas the portion below the break point falls down to earth. We have to remember that the whole ribbon weighs only about 1000 tons (about the same as a Saturn V rocket) and has the density and consistency of Saran Wrap�, so if it falls, instead of crashing down in one place it is distributed evenly around the entire planet, with each square mile getting about an ounce of debris. The overall effect will be like a very disappointing global ticker-tape parade - hardly a ground-shattering event"

[Caoimhan]

I like the idea of the contest. There's no telling what the future may hold on this.

I also wonder about the possibility of artificial spider silk. I heard a while back that they successfully spliced the genes for the protein it's made of into goat or cow mammaries, to be extracted from their milk.

[agmart]

A simple way of producing energy from a space elevator: beyond geosynchronous orbit the ribbon is moving at above orbital velocity, the net force is away from the earth. In effect beyond geosynchronous orbit you are lowering the payload so you can retreive the energy expended raising the payload. Extend it far enough and you can get a net energy gain, the energy comes out of the earth's rotation.

[MicroHydro]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Caoimhan', 'I') also wonder about the possibility of artificial spider silk.

[julianj]

I agree with Microhydro.

I took a more extended look around the site and saw the Q & A.

I felt it was hard to be as optimistic as the site and gaily make predictions about technology that doesn't exist except in minute quantities in a lab. Who knows how many billion and decades to perfect it? Just off the top of my doomer head, these nanofibres can support, what 60,000 times their own weight, yet will just have the consistency of tickertape if they break? All this is speculation without any testing IMHO.

Yes a Methuselah Mouse-type competition is a worthy way forward, but I think we are a long way off from the Space Elevator yet. Of course the Wright Brothers were thinking the unthinkable for their times, but they had the results of many years of gliding by other pioneers, and they still had to do many, many tests before they could make that first short flight, and even then there was another decade of innovation by many people before aircraft were more than a novelty. (plus a war, of course).

I wish I weren't feeling so pessimistic, but I can't get as excited about this as I would heve been say pre-PO-awareness.

[boilingleadbath]

One thing: The individual fibers are strong enough, the composite sheet is not. This is largly because it's only 1% carbon nanotube - the rest is boring old hydrocarbon polymer. As such, it's pretty heavy for it's strength. We need to develop better meathods of bonding the nanotubes together before we can attempt an elevator. (or that's my understanding, anyway...)

The reason it is flexable, like tickertape, is that it's thin. What is so hard to comprehend here?
Think of it like alluminum - alluminum is pretty strong for it's weight, and it feels different depending ot it's shape:
If you have a big cube of it, it's not flexable, and it may hurt if someone dropped it on you, depending on the drop height.
On the other hand... if you have alluminum foil, it's flexable, and it's not going to hurt if someone drops it on you, no matter the height they do so from - wind resistance will slow it down.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('oliveoil', 'O')k, the number is $5 billion... but projected time is about 12 years to build one..



read more there.Webpage Title

[Caoimhan]

cube,

Did you go out to the elevator2010.org site?

I had an image in my mind of a space elevator that would be a hundred meters in diameter... a huge beanstalk.

But they're talking about something that looks more like saran wrap.

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Caoimhan', 'c')ube,

Did you go out to the elevator2010.org site?

I had an image in my mind of a space elevator that would be a hundred meters in diameter... a huge beanstalk.

But they're talking about something that looks more like saran wrap.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Caoimhan', 'c')ube,

Did you go out to the elevator2010.org site?
...........

[MicroHydro]

On a very long term basis, if the technology ever exists, a space elevator could be quite beneficial to people here on Earth. It is the only potential space lift technology for space solar power with a possibility of positive EROEI.

Of note, one reason I believe that nothing like this can happen until after the oil crash and dieoff is the nature of carbon nanotubes. There are early indications that they may be more cancer causing than asbestos. This is not going to fly until after all the lawyers are dead. Our descendants, who will already have a much shortened life expectancy, may be less risk averse than we are.

[EnergySpin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')here are early indications that they may be more cancer causing than asbestos.

[The_Toecutter]

Space elevator solar farms?


I smell Batshit.

[Omnitir]

It really looks quite doable, it’s only our preconceptions that cause us to disregard the concept. It’s just a matter of the technology coming along. Even with PO on the horizon, there’s a good chance the technology will improve in the next few years. And once the appropriate fibre can be fabricated, $5 to $10 billion is realistic.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')It will be too late to bail humanity out of overshoot and dieoff. It may create a sustainable energy source for the dieoff survivors in the second half of this century.

[Caoimhan]

It would also make lunar colonization much more practical, too.

[Devil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mentos', 'i') tried searching this topic and i found nothing so hopefully it hasnt been discussed at length already. anyway i had the idea after watching a documentary on global dimming that perhaps having solar panels in space would be better then having them on earth seeing as how global dimming is reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches earth. im just wondering if this has been dismissed as a possible source of energy or if anyone can see anything wrong with doing this.