SpaceElevatorGlossary

Glossary of Space Elevator Related Terms

Anchoring Body: The primary (largest mass) planet, moon or planetoid to which the SE is anchored.

Ascend or Up / Descend or down: To move towards synchronous orbit, or away from it, respectively. Distinct from "In" and "Out", which refer to the anchoring body.

Cable: General historic term discussing the physical line connecting Earth and counterweight on a space elevator. In the current design the cable is referred to as a ribbon due to its dimensions.

Carbon nanotubes:

Climber: The vehicle that ascends the ribbon or cable on a space elevator

Counterweight:

Descent:

Dynamics: How the cable in a space elevator moves due to the forces acting on it.

GEO station:

Lifter: obsolete-see climber

Orbital Debris:

Oscillations: Out / In: Out is the direction away from the base planet or body. In is towards it. These are independent of synchronous orbit, which is the destination for "up" and "down".

Power beaming:

Ribbon:

Rollers:

Taper:

Taper ratio:

Treads:

Vertical Railroad: