E
ehkzu
Guest
I've read a bunch of articles about space elevators. Main problems they discuss seem to be ribbon strength & dodging space junk. However, a system-level software engineer friend (i.e. very technical but not in this area) insists space elevators aren't possible due to static electricity buildup along the ribbon frying it/elevator/cargo/everything. I keep wondering why I wouldn't have seen this discussed in the articles I've read, though of course there's always the danger of the Golly Wow World of the Future syndrome ignoring stuff that would invalidate the whole concept.<br /><br />2nd question: What about a lunar space elevator? Even if static electricity is a valid issue regarding a space elevator over an iron core massive-for-an-inner-planet planet with a substantial atmosphere, wouldn't it still be possible to do one for the Moon? Plus the advantages of nearly no orbiting space junk and much less material strength needed for the ribbon.<br /><br />I know this begs the issue of just what you'd do with a lunar elevator. I assume moon-based observatories and mining the moon for materials used in orbital structures mainly.