Space elevator. Dream, hoax or reality?

A space elevator would not necessarily need a cable to repair. A tube with a fluid or air would work. (Like going to the bank.) Leaks? Birds? Airplanes? Terrorists? Engineers could build two tubes with one way valves like in veins. They would act like the ratchets in rollercoasters. Safety is absolutely necessary. Also, such a tube would need to be built along the equator where a large geosync satelite or asteroid would be the port in space for egress from the elevator. Since we're talking about the equator, building it on the sea would be useful. Also continental drift is a problem, however (correct me if I'm wrong would have to be corrected through the orbital mechanics of the space side port. This will be necessary only when REGULAR transit between earth and space is occuring. I cant wait though!

Mark Vitrone

How do you KNOW the design is more efficient?

Since the question was yours to begin with-how would you evaluate this, Makis?

I am sticking with it would not be cost effective!!

The intuitive mind

Makis, I would not even attempt to state that I know what type of stresses such a large structure would have. Could the energy be spent on the space side, either through heat or motion?

Wow. What a bunch of pessimists you guys are.

And by your own admission you don't know enough about it to justify being pessimistic or optimiatic.

Education is the answer, of course. Read that 80 page report I mentioned above.

It's not an easy read, but the authors have made a pretty good first stab at thinking of all the problems and comming up with answers. I believe it addresses all of the questions raised here so far, plus a few more.

Some will read it and grow more pessimistic. Others will switch snd become optimistic. (Its just the way we are.)

I hope this helps. Maybe one of you half-empty types can find a show-stopper? You are needed, because us half-full types are too busy dreaming of super cheap access to space.
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How do you determine the "beanstalk" will reduce the cost of getting into space?
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Attach a frictionless pully to any point on the elevator. Run a rope from the ground to this pully. Attach mass A to the rope at the ground station and mass B to the rope at the pully station.

ALL of the energy required to raise mass A is supplied by lowering mass B if the two masses are equal.

Regards,
LB