Space elevator - Wikipedia

[Gunnar Larson]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator

A space elevator, also referred to as a space bridge, star ladder, and
orbital lift, is a proposed type of planet-to-space transportation
system,[1] often depicted in science fiction. The main component would be a
cable (also called a tether) anchored to the surface and extending into
space. An Earth-based space elevator cannot be constructed with a tall
tower supported from below due to its immense weight—instead, it would
consist of a cable with one end attached to the surface near the equator
and the other end attached to a counterweight in space beyond geostationary
orbit (35,786 km altitude). The competing forces of gravity, which is
stronger at the lower end, and the upward centrifugal force, which is
stronger at the upper end, would result in the cable being held up, under
tension, and stationary over a single position on Earth. With the tether
deployed, climbers (crawlers) could repeatedly climb up and down the tether
by mechanical means, releasing their cargo to and from orbit.[2] The design
would permit vehicles to travel directly between a planetary surface, such
as the Earth's, and orbit, without the use of large rockets.
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