What If We Built an Elevator to Space?

Hold on tight, turn up the elevator music, and get ready for a whole new mode of space exploration!

Forget rocket launches! We already use elevators to bring us to extreme heights in our tallest buildings, so why can't they take us just a little further into space? But wait — how much would that cost? Do we even possess the technology to make that possible? And what would we gain from the whole endeavor?

What If asks some of the most provocative hypothetical questions in science — and then tries to answer them with the help of established scientific theory and the latest research.

[Jasmine-golx]

Imagine how horrifying that drop is back to earth

[yazanadnan]

Imagine getting stuck in that elevator

[williamdillard]

When I finished high school in the mid 70s, I/we would have NEVER EVER imagined cell phones, GPS, microwave ovens etc. So it is NOT out of reach that one day, if we don't make the planet uninhabitable, brilliant minds will figure out other ways to space and beyond.

[hollismccray]

Actually, the best way to do it would be to extend a cable outward to balance the one going down. That way our center of mass stays at geosynchronous orbit. It helps with a lot of engineering problems.

[matrixkrock]

What if earth started spinning in opposite directions??

[HitInDAface]

Halo 3 ODST New Mombasa space elevator

[Lin-ugkc]

One thing that surely will happend if this future ambition actualy realized.. Flat earther demise!!

[puspadhakal]

1.What if there was life on moon
2.what if we no more need to eat food
3.what if all animals be intelligent like humans
4.what if no one dies.
5.what if we could fly.
6.what if ocean freezes.
7.What if there were only humans on earth.

[rudraksh]

The most underrated channel on youtube

[anno]

With all of our space junk orbiting earth atm it would be too dangerous to have a space elevator as it would be constantly bombarded by debris and destroyed by it

[aminulkaderbulbul]

What if all the people of the world jumped at the same time???

[markgillianlelis]

This reminds me of orbital elevator in Gundam 00

[ironxide]

Build it with carbon nanotubes or unidirectional carbon fiber offload with 5 different directional layers, vacuumed sealed, pressed and cooked in an autoclave. This will give the support and strength needed

[officialmt]

Isn’t it nice when there’s a perfect video for your specific search

[ikethefrontliner]

I'm betting the one behind the construction is the Osean federation!
(How are there not a single ace combat fan...)

[DreDay-]

Yeah that's one elevator i would not want to get stuck in...

[harshalkumar]

This channel is gaining subscribers very quickly
Brilliant video btw 👌

[KhyroOfficial]

I still remember gundam orbital station

[cheskafdz]

"Maybe we'd best wait until we can do it right." That's funny but I agree 😂

[ivybaltero]

Imagine going down that elevator..
Must be scary for the ones that has a fear of heights