Calling the Space Elevator

CornfedPig writes "SPACE.com has an article that suggests building an elevator to a 100,000 km-high penthouse could be possible within the next few years at a cost of about $5B US. Widespread availability of low-cost carbon nanotubes appears to be the gating factor. Existence of such an elevator could drop the cost of lifting things (satellites, people, CowboyNeal) into orbit to a couple of hundred dollars a pound. Anyone remember Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise?" Space elevator stories come along every few months; we never seem to be getting any closer to actually doing it. I imagine it will happen at some point in my lifetime, but...

Lifting CowboyNeal

[LastToKnow]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doens't using a space elavator to lift things steal from the angular momentum of the earth? I mean, you'd only lose a negligable amount from lifting satellites, and space stations, but CowboyNeal? I don't want to end up on the "permanant dark side of the earth".

WOW!

[Anonymous Coward]

If we had a few hundred space elevators on the planet, how long would it take before we could move the entire mass of our planet into space?

Re:WOW!

[WolfWithoutAClause]

> If we had a few hundred space elevators on the planet, how long would it take before we could move
> the entire mass of our planet into space?

The Earth is already in space. Amazing huh?

For the consideration of others.

[SuperguyA1]

Given the length of time your ride on the space elevator and for the consideration of others. PLEASE do not ride the elevator after eating mexican food.

Thanx,
-The managment

Love in a Space Elevator

[PhxBlue]

"Oh, hello Mr. Tyler. . . going down?"