2069 - Space Elevator to the Moon ?

[Launch window]

So let us imagine a massive space elevator is going to be built


who could build it ? Will it be the Russians, Private sector, NASA ? Liftport is a private company founded by some researchers that did major concept reviews for NASA not too long ago, and decided the idea was so good that they'd just go do it themselves. They are currently opening a carbon nano-tube production facility and research center so that they can fund their research into the long nano-tubes that will be needed for their cable/ribbon design.
and where would it be built ?
On top of the Rocky montains or above those mountains in Chile, or at a tropical area or equatorial nation ?

Kenya, Colombia, Indonesia, Somalia, Kiribati (the equator may or may not touch dry land), Ecuador

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ..._elevator.html
http://www.badastronomy.com/phpBB/vi...amp;highlight=

Some things to consider are keeping the project away from bad weather or hurricane areas.

Staying away from populated areas as there is the risk of falling debris or something landing on a crowded city/town

Keeping an eye out for Political trouble in an area, terrorism, a nation's policy change though public opinion changing or government instability - the French had a space site in Algeria but left it after some conflict with Algerian bombers and Russia is having some trouble with the former USSR republics.

Earthquake zone and fault lines would be a danegr to the space elevator

Where could it be built and who could do it ?

[cjl]

How? The earth is spinning far faster than the moon is orbiting - it would be torn off on one side almost instantly.

[Champion_Munch]

How? The earth is spinning far faster than the moon is orbiting - it would be torn off on one side almost instantly.

Not only that, but the moon's distance from the Earth varies. This is just a pipe dream.

with regards

[Jpax2003]

Not to mention that if you got to the same altitude as the moon but traveling in a centripetal hyper-orbit then then transferring to the moon would require enormous energy to slow down to the moon's velocity requiring massive rockets or more exotic technology. It might be easier to just launch from the earth elevator into a Hohman transfer orbit and be picked up by a lunar elevator. However, the idea that we could build an elevator from the earth to the moon is not impossible if we wait billions of years for the bodies to reach synchronicity.

[cjl]

How? The earth is spinning far faster than the moon is orbiting - it would be torn off on one side almost instantly.

Not only that, but the moon's distance from the Earth varies. This is just a pipe dream.

with regards

Yes - doesn't it vary by several tens of thousands of miles? That would be one heck of a telescoping elevator shaft.

[Launch window]

yes, it sounded too good to be true

I should have know

[lti]

i think u just missed the point.

it wouldnt be possible to build a link between the earth and the moon, but that is not the purpose of most space elevator plans.

the space elevator would simply go up to geosynchronis earth ortbit. extend it further and u could slingshot ships to the moon.

[Jpax2003]

i think u just missed the point.

it wouldnt be possible to build a link between the earth and the moon, but that is not the purpose of most space elevator plans.

the space elevator would simply go up to geosynchronis earth ortbit. extend it further and u could slingshot ships to the moon.

Don't forget that in several billion years the moon will be in geostationary orbit.

[farmerjumperdon]

OK, so it is really quite silly (I'm seeing cartoon possibilities with the 1/4 million mile elevator shaft whipping around at fantastic speed while alien spaceships use it to play some variation of jumprope).

But it made me wonder how tall you could build something on Earth before such effects would have to be taken into consideration. I read a few years back that the technology exists to build skyskrapers in excess of 2 miles high. The only reason they are not built any higher than they are now is that the costs outweigh the benefits (fitting more space on the same footprint being the primary benefit).

I will go searching.