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  • Is Space Elevator Possible?

    Kaustubh Katdare

    Kaustubh Katdare

    @thebigk
    Updated: Oct 27, 2024
    Views: 1.3K
    Japanese, Chinese and now Canadians - everyone's coming up with 'innovative' ideas to construct a space elevator. A Canadian firm already has obtained a patent for a 20km high (20x the height of Burj Khalifa) space elevator. I've often wondered, is it even possible to build a structure that goes so high into the space? Is our science and engineering advanced enough to even think about it?

    Think about it. How deep would the foundation be? Even if we figure out a way to support the structure with not-so-deep foundation; wouldn't the 'base' be to wide?

    Or do you have any innovative ideas that may make it possible to build the elevator? Share them here!
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  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • Aug 17, 2015

    Since my school days I have been an SciFi fan starting with H.G.Wells's 'The First Men in the Moon'.
    I had a huge collection of various authors. A big favourite was A.C.Clarke. I met him once when he visited our lab in the early seventies. His 'Fountains of Paradise' described the space elevator first.
    It is not a tower from ground up. It is a cable dropping from a geostationary satellite.


    Here is a Ted-X talk (worth listening to in full) that gives a feasible option using (what else?) carbon nano tubes:



    Let me close with a NASA post of what is covered in the talk.
    <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast07sep_1/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Audacious & Outrageous: Space Elevators | Science Mission Directorate</a>

    By the time it becomes a reality, I would have gone far higher (or far lower to much hotter regions as predicted by other engineers as a fate for chemical engineers). I do believe that it would happen in one form or other.
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Aug 17, 2015

    Wow!!

    I didn't think about it that way! Something to think in a new direction. Gotta get myself a copy of the book.
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  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • Oct 19, 2015

    An update on space elevators. A panel discussion:
    #-Link-Snipped-#
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Oct 19, 2015

    A.V.Ramani
    An update on space elevators. A panel discussion:
    #-Link-Snipped-#
    Most of the questions answered very well. 'But still...' a space elevator? 😁
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  • KSS Manian

    Member • Jan 3, 2016

    Kaustubh Katdare
    Japanese, Chinese and now Canadians - everyone's coming up with 'innovative' ideas to construct a space elevator. A Canadian firm already has obtained a patent for a 20km high (20x the height of Burj Khalifa) space elevator. I've often wondered, is it even possible to build a structure that goes so high into the space? Is our science and engineering advanced enough to even think about it?

    Think about it. How deep would the foundation be? Even if we figure out a way to support the structure with not-so-deep foundation; wouldn't the 'base' be to wide?

    Or do you have any innovative ideas that may make it possible to build the elevator? Share them here!
    Your question itself having the answer. If the height of the elevator is 20X of the height of Burj Khalifa then the width of the building of all axis is also required to more than 20X of the width of Burj Khalifa.

    Assume the minimum foundation depth is 20% of the height. Then the depth of the foundation is 5km. Cant imagine that, we have to comeout with new type of foundation rather than Piling.
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  • Shaheen Mongam

    Member • Apr 18, 2016

    KSS manian
    Your question itself having the answer. If the height of the elevator is 20X of the height of Burj Khalifa then the width of the building of all axis is also required to more than 20X of the width of Burj Khalifa.

    Assume the minimum foundation depth is 20% of the height. Then the depth of the foundation is 5km. Cant imagine that, we have to comeout with new type of foundation rather than Piling.
    as of now, space elevator is not a compressive structure like buildings. Its a thread stretched out by the centrifugal action of its counterweights rotation. Still it need a base, just to hook it up
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