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Language: en
You're watching a Nova Science Now video
podcast. Here's producer Joe McMaster.
When we were researching ideas for new
segments, we came across something that
was really just kind of irresistible to
us. And that is that NASA was sponsoring
a competition to see if someone could
build a working prototype of a space
elevator, which is sort of a machine
that would crawl up an enormously long
and strong cable into outer space.
Given that our host Neil deGrasse Tyson
is an astrophysicist and that it's just
such a interesting and appealing idea,
we just had to go for it. Most of the
teams in NASA's competition thought a
real space elevator wouldn't be built
for decades. But we also came across a
company near Seattle that actually
claimed they could build one in the near
future. So here's what Neil and I
discovered when we visited them.
So what is this contraption?
This is a lifter robot. It is a
prototype of technology to climb a space
elevator ribbon
to where?
To space.
How far has this climbed so far?
This has climbed 1500 ft up.
That is not space.
That is not But it's the first baby step
to get there.
So, how far away are we from realizing
this dream?
We think that there's going to be some
version of this system within the next
15 years. It's not going to be
Wait, a version to 22,000 m. Something
within the next 15 years.
Really?
Yeah. Yeah. What are these
batteries?
Those are batteries.
So, suppose you're halfway into space
and the batteries die.
Well,
that's a bad situation to be in. So,
what do you do?
You won't have batteries in the first
place. You know, for climbing 150 ft,
battery is fine up the side of a
building,
right? Climbing to space, it's not
economical to carry your batteries with
you,
particularly just to velcro to the side.
That's right.
So, can you show me how it works?
Yeah, I think so.
Let's do it. All right.
Power to the engine. Full speed ahead.
[Music]
If someone is going to be on an elevator
and they have to travel 22,000 mi, the
prerequisite should be that they don't
get old and die before they get to the
platform. So, how long do you foresee
this trip taking?
It'll be about a week.
A week.
A week. Right. So, you're going to be
So, the trip itself is a vacation.
Oh, absolutely.
So, here it comes.
Looking healthy.
Can I get the first one? Absolutely.
Congratulations.
Just a few decades ago, putting men on
the moon sounded just as outrageous as
space elevators sound today.
When it comes to the space elevator, we
should probably never say never. But I'm
still a bit skeptical.
[Music]