Good Morning Silicon Valley says that space elevators may be a step closer:

Good news for all of you who’ve been waiting patiently in the lobby for the space elevator to arrive: The cable may get here soon. Researchers at the University of Texas, Dallas, have figured out a way to harvest forests of carbon nanotubes (using something like a Post-It note) and produce thin, flexible, transparent, incredibly strong sheets that can conduct electricity and emit light or heat when a voltage is applied.

“This is a big deal, a real big deal,” said James Tour, a chemist at Rice University in Houston, of the new study. “Every paragraph is a gold mine.”

Those researchers are apparently going to use a nanotube cable as part of their entry in this space elevator competition.

Of course, some people won’t want space elevators in their backyard! Boing Boing pointed us to this preview of what we can expect — from flyers posted around Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood last winter spoofing the local anti-development movement:

“WILLIAMSBURG DOESN’T NEED A SPACE ELEVATOR!

The Space Elevator Will Mean: Less Parking, Weird Ribbon Thing, Constant Loud Whirring Noise, Increased Space Elevator Truck Traffic.

Developers have submitted plans to build a massive space elevator in Williamsburg! This monstrosity, completely out of context with existing development in the neighborhood, will be accessible only to the wealthy, forcing thousands of average Williamsburgers from their homes and live-work spaces! Jobs the elevator will generate (operators, repairmen, astronauts) are certain to go to non-residents! Don’t sit idly by and let this elevator cast its impossibly long, cold, and very narrow shadow over our homes! CALL 311 AND TELL THEM ‘I JUST DON’T NEED THIS SPACE ELEVATOR!’”

Here’s a link to an image.

On top of the NIMBY angle, we expect that if the current administration supported space elevator development, Barbara Boxer would oppose it.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 28th, 2005 at 7:00 am by A Senior Administration Official and is filed under Weekend Edition / Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.