The concept of the space elevator has been around for many years, having been first proposed in the late 19th century by rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. It is often cited as the most economical and efficient way to reach space. A space elevator would consist of a tether extending from Earth’s surface to a geostationary orbit, which would enable materials, vehicles, and passengers to be transported to space without the need for rocket propulsion. This approach could significantly reduce costs, energy consumption, and weather-related challenges associated with traditional space travel. 

The concept was further promoted in the 20th century by Arthur C. Clarke in his book The Fountains of Paradise as the best method to conquer space travel; he wrote that doing this would require “a continuous pseudo-one-dimensional diamond crystal”. He postulated the “hyperfilament” would be “more than 90% carbon, with its atoms arranged in a precise crystalline lattice”. Without knowing it, he painted the picture of nanotubes with his imagination, and he did this a full decade before they were first discovered. 

So, the feasibility of building a space elevator hinges on developing materials that can withstand immense tensile forces while remaining lightweight. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) represent the promising material in the development of the space elevator, and advancements in their production and application are bringing the concept closer to reality. Japan’s Obayashi Corporation is actively pursuing plans to build an elevator with a 22,000-mile tether that could transport passengers to the International Space Station in only 2.5 hours. The company has recently begun to test CNTs that they believe could make the construction of this ambitious project possible. 

Why Carbon Nanotubes?

CNTs’ inherent mechanical and physical properties make them excellent candidate materials for the development of the space elevator. 

- High tensile strength: CNTs are among the strongest known materials, with tensile strengths estimated at around 63 GPa for individual nanotubes. CNTs can achieve tensile strengths up to 100 times greater than that of steel while being significantly lighter in weight. 

- Lightweight: CNTs have a low density (~1.3-1.4 g/cm³) compared to metals, which is crucial for minimising the weight of a structure extending tens of thousands of kilometres into space. 

- Flexibility: CNTs are highly flexible and can withstand large deformations without breaking, which is essential for managing dynamic stresses, such as those caused by environmental factors.

- Thermal stability: CNTs are resistant to high temperatures and are chemically stable, making them suitable for the harsh environment of space.

TrimTabs’ Take

At TrimTabs, we’re thrilled to see the potential of CNTs being explored for use in groundbreaking applications like the space elevator. Advancements like those being made by Obayashi Corporation highlight how CNTs could transform space exploration, and we’re excited to support the journey toward making this vision a reality!

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