[ExI] RES: UltraRope could make kilometer-high elevators possible

[Henrique Moraes Machado]

> -----Mensagem original-----
> De: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] Em nome de BillK
> Enviada em: terça-feira, 18 de junho de 2013 05:26
> Para: Extropy Chat
> Assunto: [ExI] UltraRope could make kilometer-high elevators possible
> 
> Using traditional steel lifting cables, elevators can’t go farther than
500 meters (1,640
> ft) in one vertical run. Any higher, and the weight of all the cable
required is simply too
> much. Currently in the world's few buildings that are over 500 meters
tall, passengers
> must transfer from one elevator line to another, part way up. Thanks to a
new
> lightweight material known as UltraRope, however, elevators should now be
able to
> travel up to one kilometer (3,281 ft) continuously.
> 
> <http://www.gizmag.com/ultrarope-kilometer-high-elevators/27902/>
> 
> <http://www.kone.com/corporate/en/Press/Releases/Pages/New-KONE-
>
UltraRope%28TM%29-elevator-hoisting-technology-enables-the-next-big-leap-in-
high-
> rise-building-design-2013-06-10.aspx>
> ---------------

I read this a few days ago and got me thinking. Why do elevators have to use
cables at all? Can't they build a maglev elevator or something? Not talking
about the space elevator obviously, but building elevators.