Company plans elevator into space

Will we soon be able to take an elevator into space?

The Japanese company has been working on the technology behind the space elevator since 2014. Next year, the company plans to begin concrete planning for the costly project. The elevator into space is expected to be completed by 2050, according to the project website.

Once the elevator is completed, astronauts could be brought to Mars in record time. According to the company, the costs would also be significantly lower than for rockets or spaceships.

According to calculations, the elevator would only be in space for a maximum of four months before it would reach Mars. With a conventional rocket, this would take around seven months.

Electromagnetic vehicles to run on solar power

For its project, the Obayashi Corporation wants to use electromagnetic vehicles. These so-called “climbers” will then be powered by either solar energy or microwaves. Fuel would therefore not be necessary.

However, according to the company, a lot of research is still needed to actually implement the project. The enormous amount of material required alone could cause the project to fail.

Since a steel construction would not be possible due to the amount required, researchers at the Obayashi Corporation believe that carbon nanotubes could be used instead. However, these are not yet available in the required length.

External influences could also cause problems for the elevator. Because of its length, it would be very susceptible to weather influences on Earth.

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