Uplifting Video About Space Elevators

Today I watched the Isaac Arthur video about space elevators. I am not sure if the British call them "space lifts" or if that may be one of the few times the British actually use the word "elevator". I guess I missed that episode of Doctor Who.

Anyway, the basic idea is simple. Get at least one really, really long wire of material with an incredible tensile strength and string it to orbit. On the ground end is the ground station. On the orbit end is a terminus station. add a counterweight and cargo or people can ride an elevator up into space. Generally these space elevator designs are for systems along the equator. It's possible if done correctly that several wires can be used together connecting to different points on the surface of Earth to have a space elevator ground station somewhere else like Los Angeles or Paris.

Right now the most likely material to use for space elevator wire would be tapered graphene wider on the terminus station's end. The physics and material science discussed in the video was interesting. Tension and compression stress in building was covered. There's another Isaac Arthur video about building towers reaching into space based on active support I guess I'll be watching soon.

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Daily Activity, Walking