Poll: Project Help: Space Elevator Construction Sites

[James_K]

Hello everyone, I'm working on a project related to space elevator construction (and ultimately, asteroid mining). Part of the project involves selecting a site to build the space elevator. I've narrowed my finalists down to three, with the pros ans cons listed. Any advice on which would make the best?


Kisumu, Nyanza Province, Republic of Kenya.
0' 6′ 0″ S, 34' 45′ 0″ E

Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Kisumu is the third-largest city in Kenya (at over 355,000 people), with a history as a transportation hub.

Kenya is not prone to many of the kinds of natural disasters that could threaten a space elevator. Kenya's economy is the largest in the region, and the country is becoming a continental leader. Development of a space elevator in Kisumu could be seen as the first step in a massive "African Renaissance", and also a step to boost the local Kenyan/East African economy.

Kenya has had a somewhat rocky economic and political history, although not quite as bad as many of its neighbors. Kisumu's close proximity to Uganda and Tanzania could create political difficulties in construction. Lake Victoria itself is vulnerable to climate change, and would require careful ecological management. Investors may be more worried about investing in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Macapá, Amapá State, Federative Republic of Brazil
0'2′2″N 51'3′59″W

A series of islands near Macapá, Brazil could be the ideal base for a space elevator. The city has a population of over 350,000, and Brazil as a whole is a booming regional powerhouse.

Macapá is not subject to many natural disasters. Brazil as a whole has been politically stable for quite some time, and is looking to be a regional political leader. As it grows, Brazil may see the construction of a space elevator as a way to cement its status as on-par with "First World" nations. Development of a space elevator - and the ensuing asteroid mining - would give a massive boom to the Brazilian economy and prevent the need for further environmental damage in the Amazon. Proximity to French Guaina has created a population reasonably fluent in English and French.

Macapá itself is fairly poorly connected, and would likely need a large overhaul of transportation infrastructure.

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Owendo, Estuaire Province, Gabonese Republic
00'17′00″N 09'30′00″E

Owendo is a Gabonese deep-water port that forms a suburb of the capital of Libreville, a city of half a million. Libreville is a regional trade centre, and Gabon benefits from a booming economy and a relatively stable government.

Gabon is relatively wealthy and stable, and construction of a space elevator would allow for diversification from primary resource extraction. As in Kenya, investment would be partially fuelled by a desire to spark the "African Renaissance".

Heavy rainfall and monsoons may complicate construction, although Owendo is partially shielded. While Gabon is something of a regional leader, it could descend into political or economic chaos once more.

 

[Falconsgyre]

I'm... not sure there are a whole lot of people here qualified to give an opinion on this.

 

[Zantos]

I'd say out of the three Kenya is the best bet. Buuuuuutttttt...

A space elevator would require huge amounts of infrastructure and space for the construction. It would require it's own power (in large amounts), thousands of people to build and maintain it, clear transport and logistics links and probably doesn't want to be near anything important incase it goes wrong. Essentially I'd be thinking about finding somewhere on the equator, empty, not too far from the sea and some salt flats, and have a purpose built city.

It's been done before in the name of science, Cadarache in France was practically purpose built for nuclear research. It also means that you don't have to design around anything and can put a fusion plant or an airport wherever's best.

 

[zfactor]

Hello everyone, I'm working on a project related to space elevator construction (and ultimately, asteroid mining). Part of the project involves selecting a site to build the space elevator. I've narrowed my finalists down to three, with the pros ans cons listed. Any advice on which would make the best?

Unfortunately, I think we need miniturized fusion power (or some other cheap source of massive power) before a space elevator is viable.

And, although the space station would have to be in a geosynchonous orbit above the equator, wherever you started from on earth would not. Remember, a geosynchonous orbit is 35000 KM above the earth. Whatever you used for the connecting rod-type-thing that the elevator follows does not need to be perfectly straight up. You can bend it on the way up and it would not really affect the orbit of the space station at all because it can straighten out towards the end. I actually have an idea for a space elevator in Texas...

 

[Hectix777]

Brazil, solidifying Brazil as first world will make you look good but a transport overhaul may give you a giant PR boost

 

[Hectix777]

Brazil, solidifying Brazil as first world will make you look good but a transport overhaul may give you a giant PR boost

Actually, now that I think about it, there's hundred by hundred square kilometers of open land here in Texas. If you build it in the hill country or middle Texas you could avoid the occasional hurricanes that we get on the east coast. Texas is a major economic and political powerhouse. Lotsa money, lotsa workers, lotsa land, and NASA in case that helps any. Building it in the arid badlands could spark an instance of urbanization in those areas so we can actually put 'em to use.

 

[Hectix777]

Brazil, solidifying Brazil as first world will make you look good but a transport overhaul may give you a giant PR boost

Actually, now that I think about it, there's hundred by hundred square kilometers of open land here in Texas. If you build it in the hill country or middle Texas you could avoid the occasional hurricanes that we get on the east coast. Texas is a major economic and political powerhouse. Lotsa money, lotsa workers, lotsa land, and NASA in case that helps any. Building it in the arid badlands could spark an instance of urbanization in those areas so we can actually put 'em to use.

It would be a nice place if Texas was far enough south to take full advantage of the higher velocity of the Earth at the equator, but it's a couple of degrees of latitude too high for optimal placing.

Yes but Texas also has Texas A&M, it's regarded as one of the best engineering schools in the country, so the amount of skilled worker would be plentiful and may compensate for the lack of velocity.