space elevator
noun
plural space elevators
: a theoretical structure consisting primarily of a long cable that is anchored at the ground, at the midpoint by a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, and at its outer extremity to another mass (such as an asteroid), and that is designed to replace rockets as a method of transporting people and goods into outer space
In a little-noticed article, Artsutanov proposed an immense "heavenly funicular," or space elevator—a geosynchronous satellite with cables reaching up to the heavens and down to Earth.—
Doug Stewart
Doug StewartExamples of space elevator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Krane told me that in Google’s early days, Brin and Page were obsessed with the idea of building a space elevator that could move people from Earth to the moon, and back again.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2024
Whoever controls the space elevator controls the future, and that dead CEO might not stay dead.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 18 July 2023
Elsewhere, several Spider-People chase Miles across the body of a rocket and up what appears to be a space elevator.
—Stephanie Burt, The New Yorker, 14 June 2023
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Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2024
Whoever controls the space elevator controls the future, and that dead CEO might not stay dead.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 18 July 2023
Elsewhere, several Spider-People chase Miles across the body of a rocket and up what appears to be a space elevator.
—Stephanie Burt, The New Yorker, 14 June 2023
Dictionary Entries Near space elevator
Cite this Entry
“Space elevator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/space%20elevator. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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