The concept of a space elevator has been around for over a century, originating in 1895 with a Russian scientist, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. The idea is that, rather than using the stored explosive energy of rocket fuel to lift objects into orbit, a structure would be built with its lower end on the ground and its upper end high above the planet — preferably in orbit itself. The orbital payload could then be lifted up the structure and released at the top; potentially reducing the cost of space launches by a huge factor. It’s always been seen as extremey fanciful, but recently a Canadian company called Thoth Technology patented a design for a 12.4-mile high inflatable structure topped with a runway for spaceplane-type craft to take off and land. While not the full orbital elevator concept as envisioned by Tsiolkovsky, it would still cut launch costs by about a third, Thoth claims.
We’ve assembled a panel of experts to answer your questions about this intriguing and ambitious technology. What are the materials challenges of building such a structure? What forces will it have to endure? How will the elevator itself work? Send us your questions by 5pm on Thursday 24th September, and we’ll publisjh answers to a selection of questions in our next issue and online.
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Where will all the raw materials come from for the manufacturing process? How will they be transported to the factory and what is going to be done with the various scrap and residues?