Thread by @MaxFagin

Hey! It's been weeks since I raved about how awesome #SpaceElevators are. That's too long. Here is my take on 5 portrayals of space elevators that I've seen in science fiction (Not definitive, and limiting myself to visual media).

#5) The planet Drill from Star Trek 2009. Completely impractical, and only exists because it's a fun setting for a 23rd-century sword fight. But not a complete loss because it correctly shows how space elevators are deployed (lowered down from orbit, not built up from the ground)

4) Ace Combat 7, The Lighthouse. In game, it's built to enable space-based solar power, which is accurate! Space-based solar power isn't really competitive with ground-based solar power unless launch costs to geosynch fall to <$1000/kg (Space elevators would operate at ~$500/kg)

3) HALO Forward Unto Dawn. Some advice for the idiot commander of this Covenant fleet: You attacked at exactly the wrong place! Cutting a space elevator at the base will just leave everything above still standing. If you want to *bring down* a space elevator, attack its midpoint.

2) "Young Builder" by @BryanLarsenArts . You don't even notice the space elevator at first glance. Then you do, and the piece takes on a whole new meaning.

1) But my favorite portrayal of space elevators in fiction is @ErikWernquist short film "Wanderers". Accurate climber speed and accurate tether cross-section, and accurate portrayal of where the first space elevator is likely going to be built: On Mars.

Adendum: Halo TV Series. Meant for lifting water instead of people, which has all sorts of problems, and after ending its inaugural episode still standing, got blown up in the end and *framed as a good thing* 3/10

Addendum: The Wandering Earth. Great production design with lots of cool visuals and animation, but ultimately not very good engineering. Mistakes space for orbit, uses rockets on the climbers (why?), and once again just set up to fall down. 4/10