Could you run a cable from Earth to the moon?

Originally Answered: Can we connect Moon and Earth via cable? No, it’s in orbit and so the cable would snap. It would only be possible if the Earth always presented the same face to the moon.

How long would a space elevator need to be?

Since then, space elevators have shown up in many science fiction tales. But some scientists take the idea seriously. To stay in orbit, the elevator would have to be a lot longer than 100 kilometers — more like 100,000 kilometers (62,000 miles) long. That’s roughly a quarter of the way from Earth’s surface to the moon.

How thick would a space elevator cable be?

The initial ribbon cable will be 5 cm wide at the base and taper to 11.5 cm at geosynchronous orbit. The thickness of this ribbon will be one micron on average.

Can you lift heavy things on the moon?

Wherever gravity seems to be less (on the Moon, on Mars, or in space) your ability to ‘lift’ a given weight will increase. If the greatest weight you can lift on Earth is 100 pounds, on the Moon, where the gravity is only about 1/6 that on the Earth, you could lift 600 pounds.

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 space elevator be built on the moon?

A lunar space elevator or lunar spacelift is a proposed transportation system for moving a mechanical climbing vehicle up and down a ribbon-shaped tethered cable that is set between the surface of the Moon “at the bottom” and a docking port suspended tens of thousands of kilometers above in space at the top.

Could a space elevator be built?

For some scientists and engineers, the enduring challenges are enough to conclude that a Space Elevator will never be built (at least here on Earth). For others, the possibilities that it will allow for are reason enough to keep the concept alive.

How long is the cable of the space elevator?

35,786 km
Then, progressively heavier cables would be pulled up from the ground along it, repeatedly strengthening it until the elevator reaches the required mass and strength. This is much the same technique used to build suspension bridges. The length of this cable is 35,786 km or 35,786,000 m.

How much stronger would you be on the moon?

The Moon’s gravity is weaker than the Earth’s — in fact it is 1/6th as strong as on Earth. When you’re on the Moon, you are 1/6th as heavy. So if you weigh 75 pounds on Earth, you would only weigh about 12 pounds on the Moon. But your muscles are as strong as they are on Earth, so you can jump 6 times farther!

What would happen if we put a cable on the Moon?

Any cable attached to earth and the moon would wrap around earth over time. Attaching the cable in the polar region of earth is not going to help much without some kind of an “untangler” in space because the plane of the moon’s trajectory (its orbital inclination) is not polar with respect to earth.

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.

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.

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.