Sci/Tech Japan hopes to turn sci-fi into reality with $9B space elevator

[The Helper]

From cyborg housemaids and waterpowered cars to dog translators and rocket boots, Japanese boffins have racked up plenty of near-misses in the quest to turn science fiction into reality.

Now the finest scientific minds of Japan are devoting themselves to cracking the greatest sci-fi vision of all: the space elevator. Man has so far conquered space by painfully and inefficiently blasting himself out of the atmosphere but the 21st century should bring a more leisurely ride to the final frontier.

For chemists, physicists, material scientists, astronauts and dreamers across the globe, the space elevator represents the most tantalising of concepts: cables stronger and lighter than any fibre yet woven, tethered to the ground and disappearing beyond the atmosphere to a satellite docking station in geosynchronous orbit above Earth.

Up and down the 22,000 mile-long (36,000km) cables — or flat ribbons — will run the elevator carriages, themselves requiring huge breakthroughs in engineering to which the biggest Japanese companies and universities have turned their collective attention.

Japan hopes to turn sci fi into reality with elevator to the stars

From cyborg housemaids and waterpowered cars to dog translators and rocket boots, Japanese boffins have racked up plenty of near-misses in the quest to turn science fiction into reality. Now the

www.thetimes.co.uk

 

[Jackal]

So I heard Japan was going for Space Race victory.

 

[Blackveiled]

A space elevator seems like a waste of money, imo.

 

[Oninuva]

Similar to Tower of Babylon. Doomed to fail.

 

[Darkchaoself]

"Everything with the cables are working as planned sir, what do i do no- HOLY SHIT A METEOR JUST HIT THE CABLES!"

GG.

 

[seph ir oth]

Yes, meteors, planes, terrorists can easily bring this down with ease.

However, if this is followed through, I give it 20 years to show up.

 

[Blackveiled]

Yes, meteors, planes, terrorists can easily bring this down with ease.

However, if this is followed through, I give it 20 years to show up.

Which is why I call it a waste of money.

 

[sqrage]

>>Yes, meteors, planes, terrorists can easily bring this down with ease.

I don't understand the emphasis on easily, how often do meteors pass by? Obviously pilots would know about it and take detours to avoid collision, and as for terrorism, they don't just go around destroying random big things because they want to, they have reasons behind them. And of course they could put a huge amount of security around this thing.

 

[seph ir oth]

how often do meteors pass by?

Um, this goes to space, right? Higher up, there's more meteors that pass by, rather than burning up into the atmosphere. They pass by often, and would be a hindrance to the construction and completion of the elevator.

 

[Varine]

They've been planning this for a while haven't they? I remember hearing something about it like five years ago.

 

[Knight7770]

Um, this goes to space, right? Higher up, there's more meteors that pass by, rather than burning up into the atmosphere. They pass by often, and would be a hindrance to the construction and completion of the elevator.

Well, the satellite to which the cables of the elevator are connected is going to be within the Earth's orbit, so it can't be too far out there.

There was a Discovery channel show which mentioned space elevators and the possibility of one. Someone had been working out the physics and all that, but he was American.

 

[demotry241]

impossible.


japan is in the earthquake fault line.

 

[Varine]

So it's impossible because the ground shakes?

 

[demotry241]

yes.


concrete, etc. has it limits...


look at tower of Pisa


do you want to have an space elevator like that?

in all seriously, it will not work.. think of casualties if it indeed fell.

 

[TheDamien]

You know somehow I think all those highly educated and intelligent engineers in Japan know a bit more about building space elevators than you do, demotry.

 

[Sim]

> concrete, etc. has it limits...

If I understood correctly how it would be done, I don't think it will be THAT heavy.

 

[Knight7770]

Besides, no one said it would be built in Japan.

 

[demotry241]

Besides, no one said it would be built in Japan.

this is the answer I have been waiting for


a triangle beam structure is very tough. although

a building that will surpass the sky and the heavens. on a straight figure. would'nt.

Reasons:

There is lower Oxygen on higher altitudes. slower efficiency of workers, many workers would die due do dizziness and will fell to the earth.

a dynamic anti-earthquake based foundation can only support a limit depending on the strength of the shaking of the building... but if the building is 3000+ floors.. expect a huge shake strength that would break the anti-earthquake foundation.

Chinese will Recreate the Journey to the West Story.

if the tower is circular based (like coliseum) I'd approve that.

[EDIT] by the way when I meant Concrete has it limits.. I meant it would shatter because of shaking of the building(flexibility Integrity)
including strong winds.

 

[Seb!]

Lol the last time someone tried this one we all ended up speaking different languages.

 

[Ninva]

Lol the last time someone tried this one we all ended up speaking different languages.

ROFL! XD

I cracked up so much... LOL

Tower of Babel ftw.


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Anyways, I doubt this will ever be constructed. I'd be surprised if someone began building it, but I can't say it's impossible to do. That's it.