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  • Inflatable Tower Promises Easy Access to Outer Space: Discovery News

    From the page: An inflatable tower nine miles tall and tethered to a mountain top could cut the cost to launch spacecraft, reduce the need for geostationary communications satellites, and improve cell phone signals. This thing or something like it could also provide a test bed for ... more

    Reviewed by Inertial-Mass Jul 02, 09:44am ( 8 reviews ) • discovery.com

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  • Reviewed by kanedasan on Jul 12, 1:00am

    Where's my space elevator :[

  • Rated by DavidJohns on Jul 06, 6:43am

    To keep the Kevlar-laminate tower from floating away, and to provide access, three elevator tubes would anchor the tower to the ground.

  • Rated by SleweD on Jul 05, 6:33am

    while it certainly is an interesting idea, i don't agree with it. Sure it saves launching a satellite by 30%, but consider the satellite (according to this page) is 22,000 miles up, the tower is only 12-13 miles up, it can see considerably less terrain than a satellite...

  • Rated by thewhizzer on Jul 04, 11:42pm

    I can't see this happening myself but then who knows...It is a great Idea I agree though

  • Rated by LafnLion on Jul 03, 7:40pm

    Plans have been produced for a 60,000 foot tower made of inflatable materials that could be used to launch spacecraft and improve communications. The material would be inflated with air and lighter than air gases, probably hydrogen in order to control cost.

  • Rated by bob759 on Jul 02, 9:55pm

    Sometimes we have to take baby-steps, but at least we are going into a forward direction with it.

  • Rated by Inertial-Mass on Jul 02, 9:44am

    From the page: An inflatable tower nine miles tall and tethered to a mountain top could cut the cost to launch spacecraft, reduce the need for geostationary communications satellites, and improve cell phone signals. This thing or something like it could also provide a test bed for technologies related to a space elevator. For years, I've been thinking that if the space-elevator folks were serious, then they would want immediately to build tethered, high-altitude balloons or kites where a steady stream of air can provide lift. An inflatable, buoyant tower could also provide ways to test long tethers under load.

  • Rated by tagnostic on Jul 02, 7:21am

    Very Cool Idea, I've heard it postulated before in Sci Fi, but this is apparently doable.