it doesnt seem unbelievable... although very strange. if they have th idea and are planning to make it, i'm sure they've already asked all the questions in this topic and gone to measures to solve these problems. they're not stupid enought to make an elevator that is unsafe.

with the atmosphere thing, this is my idea of the elevator; not just a box that goes up and down, but a tunnel of somesort in which the box goes through to a safe height before and after hitting the atmosphere. i have no idea whether or not that would work but thats how i initially saw this elevator to be when i was told about it.

whether it is to be made or not, they will put alot of thought into it. i thik the idea is somwhat cool. it really lightens wat technology is goin to be like in the near future.

The problem with that, Kawasu, is that making a metal tunnel that went all the way into space would be an enormously expensive (and heavy) project, so if there ever is an elevator, I wouldn't count on it being in an enclosed shaft (unless the shaft was made of something besides metal).

you people gotta be kidding me!

I just though of a potential problem mentioned when talking about the glass (or otherwise) tunnel, right it would be very heavy, and therefor very likley could change the center of graviy or axis of rotation of the earth, the cable system might not suffer from this as much but it could still be a big problem

Stupid idea, the costs for cnstructing this would be so much higher than if we would be using our current methods.

mmmm despite all the justification and sort of research, it still seems far fetched to me.
Like has been said, the energy required to haul the weight up and down out of orbit would be emense :S
Taking in mind this elevator woyuld have to enough force to push past the earth's outter atmosphere.
Plus like stated, the force to pull the weight agaisnt the earths atmosphere would be emmense.

It's a very nice idea, but i personally think its along way off being realistic.

just think though. . . .it that does end up being possible, you could take an elevator to a space station and then down to the moon lol

it would be awesome to have something like that, but honestly, I don't think that will happen in our generation. It would take 100's to 1000's of years to accomplish. And the US and the other countries don't have that kind of technology to accomplish that goal.