However, if both the difference in mass between the two bodies and the distance between them are relatively small, each may be tidally locked to the other; this is the case for Pluto and Charon
They’re apparently tidally-locked, so that’s one issue out of the way.
But it’d still have to change length by about 6 km every 3 Earth days.
Maybe this is crazy, but make it a giant jumprope. When they’re closer together, the jumprope makes a tighter circle and spins faster. When they’re further apart, the jumprope makes a larger circle. Put a weight in the middle so it has enough centripetal force to keep the rope taut.
Trust me, it works, I thought about it for two minutes.
If humanity ever were to have the means to build a 12.2k mile or 19.7k km elevator in space between two planets at the far reach of the solar system, I would assume that we would also be capable of somehow making it longer
Pluto and Charon are mutually tidally locked, so they don’t rotate in relation to each other.
Plus, in smaller bodies you don’t need impossibly strong materials to make a space elevator like you’d need for Earth. Hell, Kevlar fiber is strong enough to make a space elevator from the Moon to one of the Lunar Lagrange points due to the reduced gravity
wait what? how would that be possible
Elon Musk said by the end of 2026.
Space is really huge and it might be possible that the theoretical space elevator would never strike another celestial body.
This is 100% speculative and I have absolutely not done any fact checking other than the fact that space is indeed, really Big McLargeHuge.
searches
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_locking
They’re apparently tidally-locked, so that’s one issue out of the way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charon_(moon)
So it’s pretty close to a circular orbit.
But it’d still have to change length by about 6 km every 3 Earth days.
Maybe this is crazy, but make it a giant jumprope. When they’re closer together, the jumprope makes a tighter circle and spins faster. When they’re further apart, the jumprope makes a larger circle. Put a weight in the middle so it has enough centripetal force to keep the rope taut.
Trust me, it works, I thought about it for two minutes.
If humanity ever were to have the means to build a 12.2k mile or 19.7k km elevator in space between two planets at the far reach of the solar system, I would assume that we would also be capable of somehow making it longer
Gotta think that’s less (ratio wise) than expansion joints in bridges.
It’s too late, I’m already going up.
Top! Of! The! Well! Sir!
The finest!
Pluto and Charon are mutually tidally locked, so they don’t rotate in relation to each other.
Plus, in smaller bodies you don’t need impossibly strong materials to make a space elevator like you’d need for Earth. Hell, Kevlar fiber is strong enough to make a space elevator from the Moon to one of the Lunar Lagrange points due to the reduced gravity