Cost and Feasibility of Space Elevator
Submitted by hcm1955 on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 03:32.
Based on the wikipedia article an orbital ring space elevator would cost 15 Billion in 1980 USD. In today dollars that would be something like 40 to 50 billion dollars.
This is less than 10 % of the estimated cost of the Iraq war. I am neither making a statement for or against the Iraq war, only pointing out the cost compared to other expenses that the US has incurred.
A space elevator design based on orbital rings is well within the capability of today's science and engineering skills. I believe the major obstacle in designing and building a space elevator is lack of political will, not technical limitations.
CPI: http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/CPIAUCNS.txt
Orbital Ring: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_ring
Cost of Iraq War: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111600865.html
This is less than 10 % of the estimated cost of the Iraq war. I am neither making a statement for or against the Iraq war, only pointing out the cost compared to other expenses that the US has incurred.
A space elevator design based on orbital rings is well within the capability of today's science and engineering skills. I believe the major obstacle in designing and building a space elevator is lack of political will, not technical limitations.
CPI: http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/CPIAUCNS.txt
Orbital Ring: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_ring
Cost of Iraq War: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111600865.html