Bonkers lift from Earth to the Moon proposed by scientists in mad bid to cut cost of space travel
SPACE travel could one day be as easy as getting in a lift thanks to a new proposal.
A team of scientists have been working on a concept called Spaceline, which is essentially a type of 'space elevator' intended to link Earth and the Moon.
The design is so ground-breaking because it could drastically cut the cost of space travel by harnessing solar power instead.
Researchers at Columbia University and Cambridge University published their concept in the
The Spaceline would be attached to the surface of the Moon and dangle down the Earth's orbit.
All astronauts would have to do is fly their rocket into the Spaceline, attach to a solar-powered shuttle and sit back whilst they're dragged up to the Moon.
The researchers think that this elevator could be made with materials that exist today.
It also relies heavily on the vacuum free gravity of Space, which would make the rocket being pulled up by a solar-powered contraption so much easier.
This is also a reason why the entrance to the elevator would have to start in the Earth's orbit.
The scientists think that the Earth's strong gravitational pull and rotation speed would snap the elevator cable if it was directly attached.
Carbon nanotubes are the desired material for the design but right now they cannot be built to a large scale.
However, the researchers have proposed other materials that might be strong enough for the task.
They think that the elevator should be cable shaped and extremely narrow at either end so it won't snap.
Issues with space debris colliding with the space elevator would still need to be overcome.
The Moon – our closest neighbour explained
Here's what you need to know...
- The Moon is a natural satellite – a space-faring body that orbits a planet
- It's Earth's only natural satellite, and is the fifth biggest in the Solar System
- The Moon measures 2,158 miles across, roughly 0.27 times the diameter of Earth
- Temperatures on the Moon range from minus 173 degrees Celcius to 260 degrees Celcius
- Experts assumed the Moon was another planet, until Nicolaus Copernicus outlined his theory about our Solar System in 1543
- It was eventually assigned to a "class" after Galileo discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610
- The Moon is believed to have formed around 4.51billion years ago
- The strength of its gravitational field is about a sixth of Earth's gravity
- Earth and the Moon have "synchronous rotation", which means we always see the same side of the Moon – hence the phrase "dark side of the Moon"
- The Moon's surface is actually dark, but appears bright in the sky due to its reflective ground
- During a solar eclipse, the Moon covers the Sun almost completely. Both objects appear a similar size in the sky because the Sun is both 400 times larger and farther
- The first spacecraft to reach the Moon was in 1959, as part of the Soviet Union's Lunar program
- The first manned orbital mission was Nasa's Apollo 8 in 1968
- And the first manned lunar landing was in 1969, as part of the Apollo 11 mission
TOP STORIES IN SCIENCE
In other space news, SpaceX's Starhopper rocket shaped like R2-D2 has soared to its highest altitude yet in a dramatic test flight.
Nasa's chief wants Pluto to be classified as a planet again.
And, an Earth-sized rocky planet has been found orbiting a nearby star – and there is a chance it could be habitable.
Would you take a lift to the Moon? Let us know in the comments!
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]