Crazy space elevator idea, on Moon.

Newscientist again published a rather crazy idea, based on a research paper published a while ago.

Newscientist

Link to research paper is within the article.

Basically, they suggest building of a space elevator that would not touch surface of Moon. Transportation would be achieved by targeting a vertical maglev by correct timing, basically using a robot to catch whatever comes down the elevator. Sounds crazy enough? It just might work, they say.

reply to post by rawsom


I dunno. I kinda have my doubts. Not about the space elevator itself per-se but about the article itself. Unfortunately I don't have access to the original article itself to judge. That requires payment so all I have is the newscientist article to go by.

That said.

There are a couple of things that don't ring right with me.

The materials needed:
To the best of my knowlege carbon nanotubes may be the answer as far as to what to build it out of and while expensive doesn't seem to be a show stopper.

As far as the high temperature super conductors needed:
I'm not sure if they would be really needed actually. There have been plans for building a mass driver to send ore to the Earth for a long time that didn't require superconductors. If superconductors were actually needed perhaps placing them in the shade would reduce the cooling needed.

The article author is also forgetting some of the benefits of building a space elevator on the moon such as:

1) Decreased Gravity therefore less tensile strength is needed.
2) No atmospheric conditions to worry about (High winds etc.)
3) Availability of a large amount of material needed can be made there at the moon by mining and smelting.

I suspect that the author of that particular blog dismissed the idea prior to any real form of study of the proposal but without access to the article in question it's difficult to determine.

reply to post by rawsom


I imagine that transporting the materials for construction of said Maglev train and Space Elevator from Earth to the Moon as cheaply as possible, would be a major factor in whether or not the project will be attempted.


....also from linked article

For it was at the IAC that one inventor proposed tunnelling vertically into the summit of Mount Everest in the Himalayas to a depth of 6 kilometres and installing a superconducting rail gun inside its length. This evacuated tube would then fire bullet-shaped spacecraft into orbit.

Jules Verne take a bow .

6 Kilometres is not exactly a journey to the centre of the Earth , but the superconducting rail "gun" is reminiscent of his "From Earth to the Moon".

One of its major purposes? To display adverts in space.

Did`nt Mc Donald's want to have their golden arches in geo-synchronous orbit of the Earth ~ illuminated by the sun.

Such a thing should never come to pass .

Edit; to point out relevance of comment

[edit on 17-3-2009 by UmbraSumus]