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En elevator is not a simple stuff to make.

The cable must be into a very solid and unbreakable material. We can certainly construct a very concentrated material, with all our nanotechnology progress, but it's not easy. And there is also a problem. Is this so simple a drop the cable from a satellite? and the power of the lift is not to neglect. But if an elevator is made, it will really be very easy to lift persons or material from the Earth to a station! No need anymore of habited shuttles, the ship can be sticked to the space station and so there's no need of tons of fuel for unland from the Earth, and no need to have a few millions of budget! But I think that if an elevator project should be made, it will not be until 2015-2020. We need still to make a lot of progress in the research!

The materials needed to build such a structure are still very much in their infancy. Carbon nanotubes or other such molecular structures would work, but so far only very small amounts have been manufactured in labs. In my opinion, the idea is sound, and would indeed provide a cheap method of moving payloads into orbit. However, I see two big problems.

One: Logistics. Such a structure could not be built up from the ground. Physics dictates that the structure must be in a perfect equilibrium at all times. The Geostation would have to be constructed in geostationary orbit and the tower contructed down to the surface while the counterbalance shaft is contructed outwards. This means that all the construction materials will need to be ferried into space by conventional means - ie. rockets.
Also, the material used to build such a structure would need to have immense tensile strength. Materials with high tensile strength often do not have much compression strength. This means that the base of the tower would not be able to be built much higher than a modern office building. So the tower would have to be built downwards a long, long way.

Two: Cost. This is the big one. Sure, once it was up and running it would be cheap to run, compared to present day rockets. But how many thousands of years of operation would it take to pay for the cost of its own construction, including all those thousands and thousands of rocket trips to ferry the raw materials into space.

Like I said, its a cool idea. But 2015? Or even 2020? No way. If it ever gets built it will be a very long way off.

Possible with out a doubt but we're talking a long way away. It would be very difficult with all the variables that would change everyday, even if they could be suppressed will would still have to find a way to punch our way back through the atmosphere. the final problem that i can see is space weather if it went to a moon base ((or a shuttle near because of the moons orbit)) it would have to withstand solar flares and all the rest if the problems that space has.

"The journey would take [x] months and passengers could be struck by meteroids." I forgot how many months it would take sweatdrop but this was on the Discovery channel advertising Space Week on the Science Channel.

yes its possible its gonna be wide a** Texas to make it stable but its worth it look at it as the next step for outer space homes and stuff if its done imagine the possibilities of outer space creation if its done and works it will open a whole new door to outer constructs


when it comes to safety nasa will have to work extra hard.


but the passenger will be safe dot worry about that.
All nasa has to do is keep a eye on the outer space limits and the passenger will be safe. the only thing that could actually be harmful is solar flares and radioactive materials which are microscopic and can penetrate any moder steel. thats my only concern

I don't see it being feasible from the planet's surface. (Just look at New Orleans after katrina!) There is no place on this planet where such a structure would be safe from climactic occurrences. Perhaps from a space station or even the moon to elsewhere, but not from the surface of Earth.

Yeah, one of my Science olympiad coaches told me about this...except he described it as "giant cable" being kept in space by the centripital force caused by by the rotation of the earth. Well, something along those lines. I imagine it would work if the cable was routed under neath the ground and it it then spread out and resurfaced at multiple points, then each strand went back underneath the ground....you would need a very strong Rock layer however, and it can't be anywhere near a seismically active area. Plus the material can't be capable of conudcting Electricity, a lightning strike would be bad.....As for Getting it up there, well buid the Base, Build the Cable, then attach the end of the cable to a rocket and there you go.....but it's probably more complex than that...Oh well, that's just my little tidbit on it.