Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Space elevators FTW!

I'm reading the book "Soonish" which is an explanation why we don't have all the neat future stuff we were supposed to have by now.

The first chapter is about cheap space flight. The most surprising thing about it is that a space elevator has the best potential to bring costs down the most. But, of course, it's practically impossible. However, it is so alluring that tons of people have spent tons of money on it trying to find some variant that would work over the decades. 

The basic problems that make space travel expensive now are single-user parts and the amount of fuel required to hit orbit. A space elevator minimizes the fuel issue because the craft doesn't have to bring so much fuel. By the time it needs fuel, it will be in the thin atmosphere with less resistance at the top of the space elevator. And Elon is taking care of the reusable parts with his SpaceX rockets. 

I always thought space elevators where up there with flat earthers. I had no idea it had been seriously pursued many times. 

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