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Space Elevator

(neal.fun)
1773 points kaonwarb | 7 comments | 20 Oct 25 04:42 UTC | HN request time: 1.105s | source | bottom
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CaptainOfCoit ◴[20 Oct 25 11:24 UTC] No.45642671[source]▶
Oh no, I scrolled all that way and didn't even reach some destination! Where does this space elevator go? No one knows! Would have been bit more satisfying if it ended up at a space station or something, as I think that's the purpose of the space elevator idea in the first place :)
replies(1): >>45642749 #
1. matheusmoreira ◴[20 Oct 25 11:36 UTC] No.45642749[source]▶
I think it could but does not necessarily have to reach a station. The elevator just has to clear the atmosphere, right? As they say: once you're in orbit, you're halfway to anywhere.
replies(2): >>45642759 #>>45642969 #
2. CaptainOfCoit ◴[20 Oct 25 11:37 UTC] No.45642759[source]▶
> just clear the atmosphere

But for what purpose? You just want to float around in a elevator carriage, aren't you going somewhere when you go with a space elevator?

replies(1): >>45649748 #
3. mrec ◴[20 Oct 25 12:07 UTC] No.45642969[source]▶
There's a big difference between "clear of the atmosphere" or "100km up" and "in orbit". Orbit is more about velocity than altitude.
4. matheusmoreira ◴[20 Oct 25 21:39 UTC] No.45649748[source]▶
Presumably the elevator would lift cargo, fuel, maybe even the actual rocket into orbit where maneuvering is easier. Once it's in space and in orbit, substantially less fuel is required maneuver.
replies(1): >>45654311 #
5. CaptainOfCoit ◴[21 Oct 25 10:33 UTC] No.45654311{3}[source]▶
I think you might be talking about something else than a "space elevator"? A space elevator would just go up and down as far as I understand, not horizontally, and if you wanna end up in orbit, you need horizontal movement, not vertical.
replies(2): >>45654321 #>>45659471 #
6. rkomorn ◴[21 Oct 25 10:35 UTC] No.45654321{4}[source]▶
If it's not horizontal enough, just wait up to 6 hours...
7. matheusmoreira ◴[21 Oct 25 18:16 UTC] No.45659471{4}[source]▶
According to this comment:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45646741

Ascending the elevator will produce 0.002g of horizontal acceleration throughout the trip.