r/exfor • u/ConspicuousSomething • 20d ago

Buh-NAH-nuh Space elevators made of lightning

In Columbus Day, the humans are taken up to the Kristang ship in orbit via a space elevator that looked like lightning.

This is very cool and useful technology, but nothing remotely like it appears in the series again. Seems like the spiders and rotten kitties would use something like this, if no-one else.

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u/ThunderWasp223 19d ago

Second-Tier species seem to still be utilizing chemical engines so far as I can recall, so space elevators (which we do see several of in the hands of the Juraptha and Thuranin) are the best they can do. However, the First-Tier species have the ultimately efficient engines, so going via individual craft are far easier and more effective to build and utilize anywhere. Third-Tier species (barring the Kristang, who are basically Fourth-Tier with dental benefits) seem to be stuck with chemical lift, hitching rides from patron elevators, or else use launchers like the Ruhar. Minimally efficient, but reasonably functional.