Building the Space Elevator Tether

Abstract

A simple Earth-based space elevator consists of a cable or tether extending from the surface to well beyond geosynchronous orbit. A climber grips the tether, pulling itself upward and delivering payload to space. For a space elevator to be feasible, the material from which the tether is built must be strong enough that the tether can support itself and any climbers that ascend it. Three such materials exist today and their industrial-scale production seems near at hand. These materials are compared and, based on previous studies, required improvements for each are listed. The material properties, along with the load, determine the shape and mass of the tether. Two example tether shapes are shown: one using the constant stress model and another which takes into account atmospheric winds and orbital debris. Options for tether construction are discussed. These are influenced by the material fabrication process, the way in which materials are combined and arranged in the tether and how much of the fabrication takes place on Earth or in space. Keywords: Space Elevators, Strong Materials, Tether Construction