Long before men were able to shot rockets towards the heavens an idea was proposed where people would be lifted into space by an elevator. The concept of a space elevator dates back to 1895 when Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proposed a free-standing “Tsiolkovsky” tower reaching from the surface of Earth to geostationary orbit.

Since the 1900s the concept hasn’t changed that much. A space elevator based on tethers would be the most logical concept to reach an geostationary orbit. A massive counterweight in space would keep the structure aligned. However there is one slight problem with the concept. Unfortunately current technology is not capable of manufacturing the materials for the tether which are sufficiently strong and light to build a space elevator. Recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology, producing a material called carbon nanotubes, may change this.

Carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes are much stronger and lighter then steel and able to conduct electricity. So a space elevator can be build out of carbon nanotubes, the only downside of this story is that the longest carbon nanotubes ever created are only a few centimeters in length. And joining them end to end one at the time would not be very practical. Fortunately, American researchers at the University of Texas are trying to solve this problem as we speak.

Due to new nanotechnology breakthroughs like written above, space agencies like NASA are taking the idea of a space elevator seriously. NASA recently announced a competition for space elevator concepts to develop the technology further.

Researchers, supported by grants from NASA’s Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, say that a space elevator is practical and doable. They also say it is possible to built one within 12 years and launch tons of payload up to space every three days. And that for a little over a couple hundred dollars a pound.

Basic space elevator idea

A space elevator would have a cable which stretches at least 21,700 miles (35,000 km) beyond geosynchronous orbit into space. The competing forces of gravity at both sides would keep the cable under tension. The cable remains stationary over a single position on Earth. Objects at the far end of the cable (or tether) would have sufficient energy to escape from the gravity tug of Earth and travel to neighboring and even more distant targets.

To get to first space elevator off the ground, we only would need two space shuttle flights. Moving the twenty tons of cable into geosynchronous orbit and let it genially down and attach it to an ocean-based anchor stations. Once secure, climbers go up by beamed energy from a platform-based laser, adding initial ribbon on the cable.

Where it costs around a half of a billion dollars just to take the space shuttle for a little spin, a space elevator would be much cheaper and safer as well. Estimates show that a full size space elevator can be built for under $10 billion. The return of investment could be enormous.

Also see 2009 Space Elevator Games

Tags: Carbon Nanotubes, nanotechnology, NASA, Space, Space Elevators, space exploration, View on Space Exploration