Want to build a space elevator on Earth? Start with the moon

August 29, 2012|By Deborah Netburn

<p>Scientists have been dreaming of an elevator that will take us to outer space without the use of rockets for more than 50 years. </p><p>Michael Laine has spent much of the last 11 years working on making that dream a reality.</p><p>He started his work at NASA as part of an Institute for Advanced Concepts research team in 2001, and then continued work on the space elevator as part of the privately held company LiftPort Group.</p></div></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-ctr-lt-in-top" class="mod-latarticlesadcpc mod-adcpc with-fourth-cpc"><script type="text/javascript"> var adSkipCounter = 0; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "space elevator elevator work moon earth kickstarter";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,8274478924,8321278795,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text"; google_image_size="300x250"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="2"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "medium_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=33481082&cat=business+%26+industrial&pe_id=33481082&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=8274478924&rnccn=CMI-A-007&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=ctr-lt-in-top", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para" class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"><p>But in 2007 the company shut down. </p><p>Now Laine and LiftPort are back, and they're trying to drum up publicity for a new round of space elevator work. Except this time, instead of putting a space elevator on Earth, they want to put one on the moon. </p><p>It may seem counterintuitive, but apparently it is easier to build a space elevator for the moon, rather than the earth. Because the moon has no atmosphere, and less gravitational pull than Earth, the ribbon that stretches from the surface up into space doesn't need to be as strong, Mashable <a href="http://mashable.com/2012/08/29/liftport-space-elevator/">writes</a>.</p><p>To generate some publicity for the project, Laine recently launched a Kickstarter <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michaellaine/space-elevator-science-climb-to-the-sky-a-tethered?ref=category">campaign</a> in the hopes of raising $8,000. (Yeah, right).</p><p>Deep in the page Laine admits that it will probably take at least $800 million to get a space elevator on the moon, but he is considering the Kickstarter campaign as a way to jump-start the project and build some excitement. </p><p>As of Thursday the lunar elevator campaign has raised more than $35,000 and still has 14 days to go. </p><p>That still gives you plenty of time to get in on a project that Laine says will "transform human civilization."</p><p>Contributions start at $1.</p><p><strong>ALSO:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-obama-reddit-20120829,0,2473205.story">Obama's "Ask Me Anything"on Reddit</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-oldest-person-on-facebook-20120828,0,6881240.story">Meet Florence Detlor, the oldest person on Facebook</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-gangnam-style-live-20120828,0,7706831.story">Gangnam Style Live: New Psy video blows up on YouTube</a></p><p>Follow Deborah Netburn on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/DeborahNetburn">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/109675776633752908527/posts">Google+</a></p></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para-ad-cpc" class="mod-adcpc"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; 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