Scientists figured out how to build an elevator to the moon
But it doesn’t look what you think.
Fans of science fiction and futurism must have heard of space elevators. Their purpose is fully consistent with the name, and to do the same with modern technology is simply impossible. But scientists came up with something more realistic: a moon elevator. It doesn’t sound so crazy anymore … at least in theory.
The main problem with space elevators was that the foundation must be strong enough to support the weight of the entire structure — which, if realistic, is incredibly expensive. Two astronomers from Cambridge and Columbia universities have proposed a concept called Spaceline. They solved the problem with the foundation brilliantly simple: putting it not on Earth, but on the moon.
Outwardly, it will more resemble a knitting needle, rather than a familiar elevator. It will stretch from the surface of the moon at a distance of about 362,100 km towards our planet — so as not to interfere with the satellites.
To go to the moon, it will be enough for a person to rise to the desired orbital altitude and synchronize with the end of the “spoke” — or rather, with the station, which is located there. From there, you can use a solar-powered engine to climb along the rail without consuming fuel. Near the surface of the moon, transport will slow down, providing a soft landing.
It is important to note that Spaceline will pass through the Lagrange Earth — Moon point, where zero gravity and other physical interference are virtually absent, which makes construction and maintenance simple.
A similar idea was expressed back in the 70s, and from the point of view of mathematics, the concept was quite working. Moreover, the estimated cost of the project is only a couple of billion dollars. The authors of Spaceline argue that they are not going to limit themselves to theory, unlike their predecessors.
Given that this is the most realistic idea of all that we have heard so far, it is possible that such an elevator will actually be built in the near future.
