In the near future, the Americans will build a space elevator
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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For several decades scientists have been thinking about the possibility of creating a space elevator - a method of delivering cargoes to near-Earth orbit without the participation of a carrier rocket by means of a special cable.
Then, as the experts of the space industry are convinced that it is possible to fully realize such a complex project, not earlier than in 2050, there is a group of enthusiasts who say that it will be possible to see its impressive results in the very near future.
Last week LiftPortGroup company (Seattle, USA) made a statement that it is ready to make a test space elevator on the Moon, using existing technologies. Company President Michael Lane notes that the construction of such an elevator will take 8 years and only one launch of the device, which technically can be compared with the famous Soviet Satellite-1.
"About half a year ago we were able to make a really significant discovery," - quotes Michael Lane site SPACE.com. What is the essence of this discovery, the leader of the Liftport group did not tell.
But now it's only pathos statements of Lane, whose companies in the recent past had to suspend their existence for a while due to serious financial problems. Despite this, experts are convinced that they will succeed. They are going to attract investments after the field trials are completed, which they plan to spend on the funds collected on the World Wide Web.
Enthusiasts are going to use a balloon to lift the cable to a 2-kilometer height, and through it run a specially designed robot. The implementation of such a bold plan will require 8,000 dollars, which have already been collected through the Kikstarter website, a popular Internet service whose goal is to raise funds for the implementation of creative projects on the principle of so-called "people's financing".
The considerable interest shown by the public to the project prompted the company to set a new benchmark - to collect $ 100,000 to begin the feasibility studies for the "lunar elevator". Lane argues that the construction of this elevator will take about a year, and the "issue price" will be $ 3 million. According to media reports, NASA was already interested in a unique project, which already had experience of cooperation with Michael Lane. Before he organized his company, he worked with the US space agency, in particular, worked on the development of the concept of a space elevator.
It should be noted that the concept of the space elevator is being actively developed not only in the States, but also in Japan. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the "Obayashi" corporation has most actively manifested itself, which is going to implement a project of a method for delivering cargo to a near-earth orbit without the participation of a carrier rocket with the help of a special cable already by 2050.
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