Space Elevator

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall reaction to the page

  • Widely praised as beautiful, educational, and mesmerizing; many mention getting “stuck” scrolling and exploring related Neal.fun projects.
  • Seen as especially impactful for kids and casual learners; several compare it favorably to old Encarta-style interactive encyclopedias.
  • Some UX notes: clicking the temperature toggles °F/°C (appreciated), but not all units change; arrow/scroll direction on mobile confused some; a few report high CPU/fan usage.
  • Several people wished it continued up to geostationary orbit and beyond, though others note that would be hundreds of times longer and mostly empty space.

Donations and payment UX

  • Some users wanted PayPal/Apple Pay instead of entering card/bank details; others counter that those services take similar or higher fees and that the site is already using a mainstream processor.
  • Trust and convenience vs. processor fees are debated; virtual cards (e.g., privacy-style services) are suggested as a compromise.

Space elevators: feasibility and value

  • Many stress that Earth space elevators remain deep science fiction: no material can handle the required tensile strength, fatigue, temperature variation, and safety margins.
  • Even “if” a cable existed, commenters raise hard problems:
    • Attaching climbers without damaging the tether.
    • Power delivery on a 36,000+ km ascent.
    • Very long trip times vs. rockets’ minutes to orbit.
    • Maintenance, oscillations, debris, sabotage, and catastrophic failure (whip-like global damage).
  • Some argue it’s strategically untenable (ultimate weapons platform; irresistible target); others say existing ICBMs and hypersonics already dominate that space.
  • Lunar and Martian elevators are viewed as much more plausible with current high-strength fibers, but probably less economically useful than mass drivers, rotovators, or skyhooks.
  • Alternatives like orbital rings, space fountains, and launch loops are discussed as conceptually easier than Earth elevators, though still hugely challenging.

Physics, atmosphere, and “space is close”

  • Several point out that getting 100 km up saves little delta‑v; orbit is mostly about sideways speed.
  • The thinness of the atmosphere and oceans relative to Earth’s size impresses many; people debate analogies (paper on a globe, 1 mm on a grapefruit).
  • Some refine the explanations of auroras and thermospheric temperature, emphasizing particle density, magnetospheric reconnection, and measurement nuances.

High-altitude life and flight

  • Many are surprised by recorded heights of vultures, cranes, insects, and historic aircraft and helicopters; questions are raised about evolutionary or physiological mechanisms, with no firm consensus.