Sage-Tips

Could a space elevator be built on the moon?

According to a study published in 2019, a lunar elevator could be the answer. A cable anchored to the lunar surface would stretch most of the 400,000km (250,000 miles) home. It couldn’t be directly attached to the Earth, due to the relative motions of the two objects, but it could terminate high in Earth orbit.

Is it possible to connect the Earth to the moon?

Originally Answered: Can we connect Moon and Earth via cable? No, it’s in orbit and so the cable would snap. It would only be possible if the Earth always presented the same face to the moon.

Is the space elevator possible?

A space elevator is possible with today’s technology, researchers say (we just need to dangle it off the moon) Space elevators would dramatically reduce the cost of reaching space but have never been technologically feasible.

Why space elevator is not possible?

Historically, the main technical problem has been considered the ability of the cable to hold up, with tension, the weight of itself below any given point. The greatest tension on a space elevator cable is at the point of geostationary orbit, 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above the Earth’s equator.

Can a space elevator be built on Mars?

The transport from Mars’ surface to Mars’ orbit and vice versa can be achieved by a Space Elevator. Since the gravity of Mars is lower than the gravity of Earth the requirements to the tensile strength of the rope is less, making this construction easier.

How would a moon elevator work?

A space elevator is a proposed transportation system connecting the Earth’s surface to space. The elevator would allow vehicles to travel to orbit or space without the use of rockets. Gravity would pull downward on the cable, while centrifugal force from the orbiting counterweight would pull upward.

Where can I build a space elevator?

To reduce risks to people, a space elevator should be located on or next to an ocean and away from any large population centers. Environmental Impact – Any elevator site will need major infrastructure improvements constructed around it and thus could not be placed in an environmentally or ecologically sensitive area.

Would a space elevator slow the Earth rotation?

Building the elevator will slow the earth by a negligible amount. Over time, launching spacecraft will slow it more but bringing back ore from the asteroid mines will speed it back up.

How do you build a space elevator?

There are two approaches to constructing a space elevator. Either the cable is manufactured in space or it is launched into space and gradually reinforced by additional cables, transported by climbers into space. Manufacturing the cable in space could be done in principle by using an asteroid or Near-Earth object.

Is it possible to build a building into space?

There’s no set line between Earth and space. But most scientists agree that space starts somewhere between 80 and 100 kilometers (50 and 62 miles) above Earth’s surface. Building a skinny tower that tall isn’t possible.

Could you build a space elevator from the Moon?

Now researchers have come up with a twist on the concept that – in theory at least – is doable with today’s technology. Rather than building a space elevator up from Earth, build a ‘spaceline’ down from the Moon, say astrophysicists Zephyr Penoyre from the University of Cambridge in the UK, and Emily Sandford from Columbia University in New York.

Should we be able to elevate humans to the Moon?

Since the dawn of the space era more than six decades ago, there’s been just one way to get to the moon and back: rockets. But a pair of graduate students say we should now be able to ferry humans and cargo between Earth and our natural satellite via a sort of high-tech elevator.

Who is the father of space elevator?

While it was Tsiolkovsky who envisioned a superstructure that could connect Earth to space, Artsutanov is the one who originally suggested a suspension structure with a counterweight in orbit. Since that time, many scientists have advocated for the creation of Space Elevator because of the benefits it would bring to spaceflight.

Could space elevators help us reach other planets?

Spacecraft that would be destined for Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the outer Solar System could be built in orbit and launch from the elevator itself. These spacecraft could also be reusable and allow for habitats around other planets and bodies, giving us the ability to extend our presence across the Solar System.