[Oztrich Boy]

Solution might be to build a smaller scale elevator first on the Moon if you don't trust your computer modeling on the Earth one..

A Moonstalk would have lower stress on the cable, but because of the moon's lower rotation, it would have to be on much larger scale (maybe 4 times as long as an Earthstalk) - and the lower cost of lifting mass of the surface by reaction drives or surface catapult means it's not the economic way.

Now a MarsStalk is another matter: both shorter and lower stressed than an Earthstalk.

[JohnBovenmyer]

I hadn't thought far enough ahead when I said a Moonstalk would be economical for moon transportation. It still might be economical as part of the R&D budget for an Earthstalk if you either couldn't work out the engineering without it, or more likely sell it politically without a demonstration first. A Marstalk would be smaller and thus cheaper depending on how much that distance increases your costs. But heck, if we're talking Earthstalks, Moonstalks or Marstalks we're already dealing with astronomical numbers so lets have some fun. Still, if you want to try small scale engineering mock up first, instead leaping orders of magnitude in engineering without testing and with inevitable literal Chicken Little politics, and are willing to go to Mars, there is a better option. Build a Deimos stalk. Its rotation is synchronous with Mars and its surface gravity is only 0.0004 g. If my math was correct Deimos surface to stationary orbit is only 21km. The lengths and material strengths involved would make location the only issue. You could probably prefabricate most of it on Earth. It wouldn't be have direct economic benefit for transport on or off Deimos, but you could work out the bugs without anyone crying Chicken Little. The rest, as they say in DC, is only money. After building it the Earthstalk would be a much easier political sell.