Artist’s impression of a space elevator ascending its tether
Credit: Glenn Clovis
An optimistic vision of space settlement, let’s say about 2045, would see the robust development of space elevators offering regular and affordable access to orbit.
Space elevators, while currently theoretical, will use ultra-strong tethers thousands of miles long to deliver cargo, and perhaps one day people. to space via a carrier that moves up and down the tether, using far fewer resources than a rocket. In this scenario, space elevators will have enabled space settlements— not just supporting them, but ensuring their development with massive cargo deliveries. Instead of depending upon the immediate development of manufacturing facilities using local resources to support a settlement, the important elements are delivered directly from Earth-based manufacturing centers via space elevators. Many engineering and technical groups, along with artists and designers, have visualized the implementation of these dreams for lunar villages, Martian settlements, and settlements in free space. The desire to have a million people living and working off-planet has many supporters, including SpaceX’s Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin.
But ultimately, space elevators are best visualized as part of a blended set of technologies. Reusable launchers will open the Moon and Mars to exploration and initial infrastructure, with space elevators used to supply and grow settlements. Each technology has its strengths and weaknesses, and will work best in combination.