Space.com | by Leonard David
Is it time to push the "up" button on the space elevator?
A space elevator consisting of an Earth-anchored tether that extends 62,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) into space could eventually provide routine, safe, inexpensive and quiet access to orbit, some researchers say.
Instead of delivering the tether to a geostationary orbit why not build it from the ground up. Build a rocket powered platform that is tether to the surface. The tether also contains propellant lines. At some point the thrust of the rocket equals the of the tether and platform, where a two additional platforms are connected the tether would include propellent lines for all the platforms above it. Repeat the process until the top platform is at GSO.
The rocket power platforms would need to be mass produce to lower the unit cost. Also a cheap supply of rocket fuel would be required. Rocket fuel can be made from solar energy and seawater. Seawater contains CO2, and the water can be broken down to H2 and O2. CO2 and H2 can be made into methane.
A “space elevator” can be build with today’s material, but would require a 10,000 to 1 taper ratio. The on orbit would be similar to the cables used on a suspension bridge and the surface would be like a 3/8 inch nylon rope. By building from the ground up it may be economically viable to transport the large amount of carbon fiber require for a space elevator .
Cheers, Bert