Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

SixIsNotANumber t1_izkk81h wrote

Reply to comment by Icee777 in Phobos' orbit prevents a traditional geostationary space elevator on Mars, but it is possible instead to build a downward space elevator from Phobos itself by Icee777

OK, that part of it does make some sense, but I'll echo the other reply to your reply: what's the point?
Isn't the harder part of the process getting off of Mars? (And please don't take my questions the wrong way, I promise I'm not trolling or trying to JAQ-off, I really just want to wrap my brain around why this is meant to be a good/useful thing.)

1

Icee777 OP t1_izkyhai wrote

It makes sense once you have an industry large enough to move substantial amounts of mass to and from Mars. Space elevator saves energy. In the proposed form you need only 0.52 km/s of Delta-v to get from Mars' surface to the elevator. And on the other end of the elevator you can release (or catch when importing) that mass at 3.52 km/s of Delta-v. Of course, there will be some energy loss moving up and down the elevator, but you don't need the acceleration that a rocket launch demands.

1