Forget space elevators, we need a space pipeline!
jacob.leachmanA few years ago I attended a seminar on using extremely long carbon nanotubes for a space elevator. And so I started thinking…
Here’s the wiki for the space elevator concept. Here’s a graphic:
To be clear, space elevators may be harder than controlled thermonuclear fusion to achieve (that’s at least 50 years out). Although carbon nanotubes may have the strength to make it possible, the very best we can do could be ~1m in length. Compare that to the image above and you see how far we have to go. Not to mention running an … » More …