Space elevator set to aim for the moon

[glenc]

"A Japanese construction firm claims it could execute an out-of-this-world plan to put tourists in space within 40 years by building an elevator that stretches a quarter of the way to the moon.
Obayashi Corp claims it could use carbon nanotube technology, which is more than 20 times stronger than steel, to build a lift shaft 96,000 kilometres (roughly 60,000 miles) above the Earth.
The company said it would carry up to 30 passengers at a time and travel at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour for a week, stopping off at a station at 36,000 kilometres."
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1629309/Space-elevator-set-to-aim-for-the-moon

Will this produce light pollution for those nearby?

[sheeny]

Of course it will Glen... see that red glow on the moon... that's the navigation warning light on the top:P.

Imagine a piece of space junk hitting the elevator below the 36000km motel while you're camping there...:eyepop:

Al.

[gary]

Hi Glenn,

Those of us who work in office towers in the city will be familiar with the
normal elevator decorum where one enters the lift, briefly acknowledges one's
fellow passengers with a quick "Good morning" before quickly averting one's
gaze away from one's fellow passengers and instead focusing on the indicator
showing what floor number the lift is on.

A quick glance around usually reveals fellow occupants are either doing the
same, or intent on looking at messages on their Blackberries or sipping
the froth off a cappuccino in a paper cup that they purchased from the ground floor
coffee shop.

Now imagine a week's long elevator ride. After the second day, you build
up the gumption to break the awkward silence with something like, "Nice weather we
have been having lately", only to look back and get an icy suspicious glare from
one's fellow occupants. Elevator decorum has clearly been broken and
their Blackberry sessions have been interrupted. One of them just gives a bigger
slurp on their cappuccino pretending they did not hear. Worse of all, not until a couple
of your fellow occupants whisper to each other in a foreign language that you remember that
you began this elevator ride in a foreign country and that those around you may not
have even understood a word you said. Despite the cramped conditions in the
lift, everyone moves back from you just that little more, creating a little space
around you.

Such will be the perils of future manned space flight. :lol:

[Kevnool]

For a look at what will happen if that cable breaks then look at The Universe Season 3 episode 1 and that will give you an insight of what can go wrong.

Cheers

[lacad01]

Nice one Gary - but don't forget about the issue of breaking wind in an elevator and not being able to open the door for a week :P

[clive milne]

Here is the video that kev was referring to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Qv-SkThI4

[clive milne]

I'd also be concerned about some joker pressing the buttons for all the floors.

[clive milne]

There is also this:

109896

[OICURMT]

How the hell is that suppose to work if the Moon is not geostationary? I must be missing something...

[glenc]

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/16116/concept-art-for-japanese-space-elevator

[asimov]

Good ol' Arthur C Clarke..

[Ric]

Not to mention a week of elevator music. :scared:

[rainwatcher]

Honestly, what have we come to. I dont find this amusing or even faintly interesting. Why do we give these people oxygen. I can not be bothered to go into all the fallacies surrounding this nit-wits attempt at free publicity. It would not surprise me if this morons previous forays into self publicity included the Japanese obsession with eating gold leaf on their food and paying thousands of dollars for Blue Lable Johny Walker. Or perhaps its April fools day and my calendar is stuffed.