Instructional Video

Space Elevator – Science Fiction or the Future of Mankind?

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

In 1895, Konstantin Tiolkovsky proposed the concept of a space elevator. It's now over 100 years later and scientists working toward the concept still aren't sure it is possible. The video explains the concept, the benefit, and the many remaining challenges.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • List other concerns about a space elevator that weren't mentioned in the video
  • Determine the current cost to send a payload to the International Space Station and calculate how long it would take to pay off just the building of the elevator
Classroom Considerations
  • Relies on prior knowledge of orbit, gravity, and basic physics
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • Requires very little class time
  • Works well in a traditional or a flipped classroom
Cons
  • None