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Yes, scientists are actually building an elevator to space - Fabio Pacucci

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TEDEd Animation

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Sending rockets into space requires sacrificing expensive equipment, burning massive amounts of fuel, and risking potential catastrophe. So in the space race of the 21st century, some engineers are abandoning rockets for something more exciting: elevators. What would it take to build such a structure? Fabio Pacucci explores the physics behind modern space elevators.

Explain in your own words why the anchor point of the space elevator system should be located close to the equator. Why not, for example, at middle latitudes, or close to the poles?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Fabio Pacucci
  • Director Tjoff Koong Studios
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Tezo Kyungdon Lee, Magnus Lenneskog
  • Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

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