I had just woken up after a nightmare where I was being tortured by having my legs twisted off (Which is what you get for reading The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross before going to sleep.) when I had this crazy idea.

Why can’t we build a space elevator using hot air balloons – or helium, whatever is cheaper/more ecologically sound. kinda steam punk I know, but why not.

As I lay there for two hours the idea evolved in my head. It couldn’t work on the same principles as a nano wire elevator… here’s a drawing of how I thought it might work (click for large version). The biggest problem I can see would be cross winds blowing it off course.

Someone please put me right with the physics and tell me it can’t be done.