Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Space elevator could be ready by 2050, ride takes a week

    By Trevor Mogg | Digital Trends – Wed, Feb 22, 2012

    If an elevator ride of more than 30 seconds leaves you feeling antsy, then a ride in the elevator proposed by a Japanese construction firm is probably not for you.

    Obayashi Corp. this week outlined its plans to build an elevator that would take its occupants just over seven days to reach its destination. The reason for the long ride? The terminal station would be located 22,400 miles (36,000 km) above Earth.

    The Tokyo-based company said its so-called space elevator could be ready by 2050. Engineers hope to make steady progress with the project “so that it won’t end up as simply a dream,” an Obayashi official told The Daily Yomiuri.

    The company said that such a feat has been made possible thanks to the 1991 discovery of carbon nanotubes, which are around 20 times stronger than steel. These would be used to produce the necessary cables for the space elevator.

    Obayashi’s plan involves sending a cable 60,000 miles (96,000 km) into space, roughly a quarter of the distance between Earth and the moon. One end of the cable would be fixed to the ground around which a spaceport would be built, while the other would be fitted with a counterweight, an official said.

    The elevator, containing up to 30 people and traveling at a speed of 125 mph (200 kph), would be powered using magnetic linear motors. The terminal station, containing laboratories and a living area, would be located 22,400 miles (36,000 km) up.

    The idea of a space elevator is not as far fetched as it might initially sound, with the Daily Yomiuri reporting other organizations, such as the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, taking an interest in such a project.

    Officials at Obayashi say the viability of the project rests on the cost of carbon nanotubes and whether the firm can get the cooperation of other companies from around the world.

    [Top image: Victor Habbick / Shutterstock] [Diagram: Daily Yomiuri]

    This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

    More from Digital Trends

    A moving experience – robotic mannequin debuts in Tokyo

    Japanese drinks company launches vending machine with free Wi-Fi (as well as drinks)

    Car security: Japanese engineers develop seat that knows who’s sitting on it

    Honda demonstrates new version of its ASIMO humanoid robot

     
    • yargh2002
      yargh2002  •  3 mths ago
      the math behind this is solid, we've just been waiting for material science to catch up.
      • Chris
        Chris 3 mths ago
        And we would need to clean up the space junk before hand.
    • The Pike
      The Pike  •  3 mths ago
      The Fountains of Paradise ... 1979 novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Set in the 22nd century, it describes the construction of a space elevator.
      • keysdisease
        keysdisease 3 mths ago
        Right on Pike! Sci-Fi has often provided the leap in imagination that science eventually grinds out the means to realize. And I'm sure you know how many other ideas A.C.C. was way out in front of, like geosynchronous communications relay satellites, which he wrote about in the October 1945 issues of the magazine Wireless World.
      • Angus
        Angus 3 mths ago
        Just wanted to add that the 'ring' of space that supports geostationary orbit is named the Clarke Belt in his honor.
      • The Pike
        The Pike 3 mths ago
        Yes, Keysdisease was a man ahead of the times and is missed...
    • Vivian
      Vivian  •  3 mths ago
      I'll be 61 in 2050...can't you make it a little sooner? I don't think I can afford to retire in space.
      • jo banks
        jo banks 3 mths ago
        I'll also be 61 in 2050. Before retiring in space, I'd like to visit first
      • KingKoopa
        KingKoopa 3 mths ago
        #$%$ ill be 60
      • Observing absurdity
        Observing absurdity 3 mths ago
        dang! I've always known I was born at generation or two too soon. This REALLY confirms it.
    • KenM
      KenM  •  Roswell, Georgia  •  3 mths ago
      Won't that be fun when some 10 year old kid gets on with you and pushes all the buttons?
      • Don
        Don 3 mths ago
        FINALLY, someone actually said something that was funny. LOL
      • eddie
        eddie 3 mths ago
        thats good
        lol
    • eddie
      eddie  •  Toronto, Canada  •  3 mths ago
      imagine listening to that godawful music for a week ?
    • Carmen AC
      Carmen AC  •  Tampa, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      Science is amazing, too bad so many are afraid of math and science so they opt for degrees that lead them to the unemployment line. We NEED math and science to be a priority from the first grade and have it presented in a way that children will learn to love it, like I did.
    • Bookem Dano
      Bookem Dano  •  3 mths ago
      AWESOME!!! You go first.
    • Chris
      Chris  •  Nonthaburi, Thailand  •  3 mths ago
      Imagine if someone farts. At least on Earth you can get off and take the next elevator.
      • KingKoopa
        KingKoopa 3 mths ago
        japanese people don fart duh...
      • a337
        a337 3 mths ago
        Thanks for making me laugh, both of you.....
      • Timothy
        Timothy 3 mths ago
        I work on the 10th floor of my building...you have NO IDEA how right you are.
    • BangOn
      BangOn  •  3 mths ago
      Didn't Arthur C Clarke envision suchan elevator in one of his books?
    • DavidM
      DavidM  •  Flint, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      What kind of security would that thing need to keep the #$%$ muslims from blowing it up?
    • twotall610
      twotall610  •  3 mths ago
      Gee, I only get 2 weeks vacation. One week up, one week down, 6 months in padded cell from elevator music.
    • B-Dodgers
      B-Dodgers  •  3 mths ago
      OK, great.. be back in 40 years to check this article for accuracy...
    • JRTENN
      JRTENN  •  3 mths ago
      One major thing holding back space elevators is the fact that most of the research-and-planning-them nations are financially bankrupt. Thus, it's the "new wealth" nations that will likely make them happen, and far sooner than 2050.
    • Don M
      Don M  •  Port Charlotte, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      the comments here are stunning. are you all really that ignorant? a space elevator would cut the cost of space travel by a factor of 100. do you really not understand the impact this would have on earth? there is endless energy and resources in space, people are already considering building mining stations on asteroids and orbital solar panels. imagine what we could achieve if the costs were 100x cheaper. it would open space to commerce, people would travel to other planets like we fly on airplanes today. we wouldn't have an energy problem anymore. do you really not understand this?
    • Dan
      Dan  •  3 mths ago
      DAM! There goes my escalator to space idea.
    • JustinB
      JustinB  •  Everett, Washington  •  3 mths ago
      Before we build an elevator that goes to space, maybe we could build an elevator that goes to the top floor while playing decent music?
    • robert
      robert  •  Clinton, Mississippi  •  3 mths ago
      What happens when some idiot flies a plane into it? Just asking.
    • Mantastic
      Mantastic  •  Wichita Falls, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      Bring it on and make it happen!
    • Mr. DROT
      Mr. DROT  •  Washington, District of Columbia  •  3 mths ago
      This idea was proposed decades ago and was in an Arthur C. Clarke book.
    • William
      William  •  3 mths ago
      They're going to need some intermediate projects that will provide payoffs much sooner than 2050, or they'll never get the investments they need for this project.
     Post a comment
    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

    News For You

    Loading...