Are carbon nanotubes strong enough for a space elevator?

A natural choice for constructing a space elevator cable are carbon pipes only nanometers or billionths of a meter wide. Previous research has found that such carbon nanotubes can prove 100 times stronger than steel at one-sixth the weight.

Could we build a space elevator?

A space elevator is possible with today’s technology, researchers say (we just need to dangle it off the moon) Space elevators would dramatically reduce the cost of reaching space but have never been technologically feasible.

Can a building reach space?

A tower that could reach space would be too heavy for the Earth to support, he says. Earth’s crust isn’t very deep. It averages only around 30 kilometers (17 miles). The tower’s mass would push too hard on the Earth’s surface.

What is the main technical problem with space elevator cables?

Cable section. Historically, the main technical problem has been considered the ability of the cable to hold up, with tension, the weight of itself below any given point. The greatest tension on a space elevator cable is at the point of geostationary orbit, 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above the Earth’s equator.

Is it possible to build a space elevator on Earth?

The cable thickness is adjusted based on tension, it has its maximum at a geostationary orbit and the minimum on the ground. Available materials are not strong enough to make an Earth space elevator practical. Some sources have speculated that future advances in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could lead to a practical design.

What is the gravitational force on a space elevator cable?

Apparent gravitational field. A space elevator cable rotates along with the rotation of the Earth. Therefore, objects attached to the cable would experience upward centrifugal force in the direction opposing the downward gravitational force.

Are carbon nanotubes strong enough to build an Earth space elevator?

Available materials are not strong enough to make an Earth space elevator practical. Some sources have speculated that future advances in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could lead to a practical design. Other sources have concluded that CNTs will never be strong enough.