Basalt Continuous Fiber material - ideal for lunar elevator

The temperature limitation of Spectra makes this marginal. Even kite lines made of Spectra need extra sleeving.
David

Except for the temperature limitations(to 150 degrees C), Spectra fiber is great, much stronger than Basalt fibers.
Spectra fiber is one of the world's strongest and lightest fibers. A bright white polyethylene, it is, pound-for-pound, fifteen times stronger than steel, more durable than polyester and has a specific strength that is 40 percent greater than aramid fiber.
I don't know where you get the "superconductor" reference.
Gary 7

Charles,

Basalt fiber seems a good choice for lunar elevator.
HTS, high temperature superconductor cable, 300 foot sections from New York, could be used in the cable as mag-lev source.

Kevin

Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 7:24 AM

I just learned from Brad Guth about Basalt Continuous Fiber material.

Today it is commercially available, made from volcanic ash on Earth, and has excellent material properties, comparable to glass-fiber and graphite fibre.

There is abundant native basalt readily available on the lunar surface.

It looks like most if not all a lunar elevator could be made of Basalt Continuous Fiber.

It gets better and better.