[ExI] Why no space colonies or lunar bases? was Mooon.

[Samantha Atkins]

On 07/22/2011 04:59 PM, John Grigg wrote:
> Keith, I would think the answer is to let technology mature to the 
> point where we can built an effective space elevator, circa 2030 or 
> 2040.  And then the price of going into space plunges downward to I 
> believe around $100 a pound!

Last I looked we are 2 (or was it 3) orders of magnitude to slow on 
elevator climber technology and more than 4 orders of magnitude off in 
cable material strength even in the smallest possible sample size that 
could be tested.  So I very much doubt we will see space elevators any 
time soon.

- samantha