When you were a kid did you ever think “instead of flying to the moon, why can’t we build a really tall lift?” It’s a thought most children have had and that most parents have scoffed at, but now a Canadian firm has produced a patent for a “space elevator.”
The innovative lift would shoot cargo 12.4 miles into the stratosphere and launched from there more easily. It will be a tremendous cost saver as shuttle wouldn’t need to carry as much fuel to get them off the ground. An electric elevator would take the astronauts to a height of 12 miles and at the top of the tower, space plans would launch in a single orbit, returning for refuelling and reflight.
But the space elevator could also be sued for a variety of purposes including scientific research, space tourism, communications and energy generation. The tower would be inflatable with reinforced segments to secure it.
As a lift company we love reading about new and innovative lift technology and what it will be used for. Here at Sheridan Lifts, we regularly install bespoke lifts for a range of clients but of course, this space elevator is something else! Still, it would be amazing to be a part of something so ground breaking – just think of the lift maintenance that would need to be carried out on the thing!