One of the most promising technologies for the aspiring outer-space commuter is the space elevator. The concept, like quite a few others, was pressed into the public imagination by Arthur C. Clarke, who in his 1979 novel The Fountains of Paradise described a incredibly thin, incredibly strong carbon filament with one end anchored on Earth and the other extending up to a satellite in geostationary orbit. Now, a group of Japanese scientists are convinced that they can build a space elevator more quickly and cheaply than has been believed possible. Such a cable could convey cargo into space very cheaply and easily. Carriages would travel up and down the cable under modest power, not the vast expenditures of energy that are currently needed to send anything into orbit.
I have three questions am unable to answer, perhaps a physicist may shed some light. 1)Assuming the ultra light carbon nanotubes weighs x kilos per mile, how shall they get x*62000 kilos to space so as to start drawing the cable downward till ground (assuming they opt to do it this way). Lets not opt for helium balloon to lift this cable as balloons can only go a few miles before they loose their effectiveness due to ambient air thinness. 2)This cable will pass the ionosphere on it's way downwards, assuming the cable will conduct electricity as it is made out of carbon, this cable may provide a vehicle for the vast number of electrons found here to reach the lower levels of the atmosphere where these free ions may be captured by positive ions. 3)How will the cable void being the vehicle of choice for electron transfer between ground and the clouds (and between lower clouds and higher clouds) in stormy weather, will the cable sustain such loads of electrical current. Lightning is usually brought about by such activity. Allan.
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