DEBUNKING L.E.O. SPACE ELEVATORS

A video viewed by millions of people on Twitter stirred up quite a lot of debate, so we decided to dissect, and came away with a couple surprises.

Come see what we discovered!

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[Dan-cmow]

It's a writer's daydream and impossible for basically every reason imaginable... Or as Elon Musk would put it "90% complete and will be commercially available next year."

[edmunns]

To get to 21, 000 km/h we will have to use a hyperloop for the tether. It should be done by the end of this year. Worst case next year.

[mfblosangeles]

Musky, "...why can't this be done?" LOVE IT. You guys are legends.

[sorryifoldcomment]

3:24 Okay I actually laughed out loud at this reveal, after marveling at how long it would have taken me to find the location on Google Earth and then wondering why they chose Disney of all places.

Thank you for including the process even though you could have skipped it!

[shaider]

In fairness, tech to make space elevators is a lot closer to current tech than ressurecting cryopreserved humans.

[justinfowler]

Vaporware company: We've solved the science of space elevators.
CSS: How?
Vaporware company: Step one involves making billions of dollars vaporize.
CSS: So magic then?
Vaporware company: Ta-Da!!

[EEVblog]

A space elevator makes Hyperloop look entirely practical and sensible in comparison. And Hyperloop is totally impractical.

[Pllayer]

You raise good points but we can't skip on the opportunity to build the largest yo-yo in the universe!

[saumyacow]

One potential correction if I may. The concept usually involves a cable that reaches beyond geosynchronous orbit and which is terminated above geosynchronous orbit with a counter weight. Now, if you graph the tension in the cable, the highest tension is at the point of geosynchronous orbit. The tension in the cable reduces as you move towards the ground. Which is what you expect because each point in the cable has less cable below it that it is holding up. In theory at least, when you reach the ground, the tension is zero. Of course adding a load will add to that tension, but the tension is supported by the cable from above. What I'm saying here is that although you need an anchor point, you do not need a massive anchor point since ground level is where you see the lowest tension. In fact you can actually tether this to a floating ship or floating structure of sufficient mass.

Also, the counterweight (beyond geosynchronous orbit) is actually moving faster than geosynchronous speed. If you release an object from this point, it will go into an orbit that dips above and below the orbit of the counterweight. It won't get you into escape velocity, but it will get you most of the way there. At least in theory.

Yes, its impractical with today's technology. But being the pedant I am, I figured I should correct those bits :)

[quietdignityandgrace]

Space Escalator. I'm telling you, guys.
Not region Locked. Makes it's own electricity. Creates and controls weather patterns. Cools the planet. Launch platform is Already moving at speed, just let go.

[RobotoSan]

Couldn't help imagining several thousand kilometers of thick cable falling through the atmosphere, directly above. Like many dangerous things, it looked really cool.

[amicaaranearum]

As a lawyer, is it wrong for me to admit that I kind of want to hear a talk on the legal implications of building a space elevator?

[wazzaracer]

Isaac Arthurs channel did some really good discussions on space elevators and an orbital ring as means of getting payloads into orbit more easily. And yes, its a long way from being even remotely practical.

[TheUnsungVil]

20:28 — it just hurts to watch Musk „lie-along“ so obviously… and it hurts even more to realize that all those mindlessly clapping seals blindly believe him 🤯

[Tobacc]

Arthur C Clarke made space elevators seem so reasonable in The Fountains of Paradise.

[CatsMeowPaw]

As always, it's a lot easier to make a CGI video than actually work through the engineering challenges.
I have met plenty of 'idea guys' in my career. They throw out impossible or near impossible concepts and then get frustrated and angry when engineers tell them why it's not going to work.

[TheAlexDivision]

I loved the Ace Combat space elevator's inclusion

[hdbrot]

11:37 The Kurzgesagt animation shows a much higher elevation though. If the exit point is geostationary orbit, it works. I wouldn‘t necessarily call it an error.

[FRANKMUSIKOFFICIAL]

Great video as always. One thing that’s always concerned me about these things aside from the points you’ve made, is the elevator being a giant target for terrorism.

[audiogarden]

Congrats on 100k guys. It's been a long arduous journey through ignorance and nonsense but you made it!