/sci/ - Science & Math

>>15441504
Space elevators are dumb. If we simply had a space elevator, it'd be great, but the logistics of making one outweight the benefits. Any infrastructure capable of putting a space elevator into orbit is capable of putting payloads into orbit (the payloads that the elevator was supposed to lift)
So instead of building an elevator to bring your stuff into orbit, just bring your stuff into orbit.
I think the return on investment, in terms of kg to leo, would never be reached with an elevator. Far better to have ssto rockets.
The reason space elevators trigger me so much is that they're essentially magic. They're physically impossible with current materials, maybe we'll develop something exotic that will work in the future, but we don't know of anything now.
>what about carbon nanotubes
No.
So "why not build a space elevator?" is like saying why not build a spaceship that can fly faster than light, without needing fuel? Sure it's be great, but we can't build them.