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What does space elevator do?
space elevator, a concept for lifting mass out of Earth’s gravity well without using rockets in which an extremely strong cable extends from Earth’s surface to the height of geostationary orbit (35,786 km [22,236 miles]) or beyond.
What is space elevator NASA?
A space elevator is essentially a long cable extending from our planet’s surface into space with its center of mass at geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), 35,786 km in altitude. “The system requires the center of mass be in geostationary orbit,” said Smitherman. “The cable is basically in orbit around the Earth.”
Why is there no space elevator?
The biggest challenge of building a space elevator may be the 100,000-kilometer-long tether. It would have to be incredibly strong to handle the gravitational and centrifugal forces pulling on it. The steel used in tall buildings wouldn’t work for a space elevator cable.
What is a space elevator and how does it work?
A space elevator would involve a tether anchored to the ground and stretching up into space. At the top of the elevator, a counterweight will serve to keep the cable taut. Centrifugal force will actually be responsible for holding the tether in space as the Earth rotates slowly.
What is the ideal location for a space elevator?
The volcano was discovered by the Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1971, and was originally called Middle Spot. Its name formally became Pavonis Mons in 1973. The equatorial location of its peak and its height make it the ideal terminus for a space elevator, and it has often been proposed as a space elevator location, especially in science fiction.
Is it possible to build a space elevator?
Real Engineering takes a look at the feasibility of space elevators, and the short answer is, yes it is possible. It is primarily a materials challenge; namely, a tensile strength challenge for the cable that engineers would need to solve.
How space elevators will work?
The main components of the space elevator would be a cable anchored to the Earth’s surface, reaching into space. A counterweight would be attached at the end, and inertia would ensure that the cable remains stretched out, countering the gravitational pull on the lower sections, thus allowing the elevator to remain in geostationary orbit.