Space Elevator
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- 1541
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- Sat Jun 06 2009
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... TURNING SCIENCE FICTION INTO REALITY: Space Elevator In the most basic description a space elevator is a physical connection from the surface of the Earth that would stretch into space from a floating platform in the equatorial Pacific Ocean to a geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) above the Earth at approximately 35,786-km in altitude. Its center of mass is at the geostationary point such that it has a 24-hr orbit and stays over the same point above the equator as the Earth rotates on its axis. The vision is that a space elevator would be utilized as a transportation and utility system for moving people, payloads, power, and gases between the surface of the Earth and space. Satellites or other payloads would be loaded onto climbers which would ascend the paper-thin cable by squeezing it between sets of electrically driven rollers or electromagnetic forces. Even if it looks like a science fiction














