# Could a bridge be built between Pluto and Charon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 21, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082 "2009-12-21T16:44:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/1 "2009-12-21T16:44:56Z")
In a GQ thread about the moon’s rotation, someone’s link made the following observation: > [@](#): > > Pluto and Charon are an extreme example of a tidal lock. Charon is a relatively large moon in comparison to its primary and also has a very close orbit. This has made Pluto also tidally locked to Charon. In effect, these two celestial bodies revolve around each other (their mass center lies outside of Pluto) as if joined with a rod connecting two opposite points on their surfaces. So, if human beings lived on Pluto, could they build a stable bridge/tunnel/elevator from Pluto’s surface to Charon’s? ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/2 "2009-12-21T16:52:30Z")
Given the tidally locked, and a minute orbital eccentricity, sure. It would have to be a little flexible and be able to handle a .002 pct stretch…but its doable. It would be a heck of a drive, though at just over 10k miles each eay. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/3 "2009-12-21T17:00:06Z")
Talk about a bridge to nowhere. Maybe we can get Palin’s backing on this one, too. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/4 "2009-12-21T17:00:18Z")
We’re quite a long ways away to casually say “as if joined with a rod.” A few hundred miles worth of libration ([seen in this movie of earth’s moon](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070902.html)) could mess up most bridge designs, and a doubt that the data is good enough to rule out that sort of movement between Pluto and Charon. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/5 "2009-12-21T17:52:45Z")
I am pumped up that we are going to get a our first good look at them both in a few years thanks to the **New Horizons** probe. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/6 "2009-12-21T18:05:43Z")
We’re having a hard enough time building a bridge across the San Francisco Bay. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/7 "2009-12-21T19:03:05Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Talk about a bridge to nowhere. > > Maybe we can get Palin’s backing on this one, too. [moderating] This is GQ, and your political snark has nothing to do with the subject at hand. Please save it for GD or the Pit. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/8 "2009-12-21T19:59:52Z")
Instead of a (relatively) rigid bridge, it would be more feasible to build a kind of cable-car system. You get a strong but flexible cable connecting the two bodies and have airtight gonolas travel back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/9 "2009-12-21T20:04:13Z")
I’m sure Charon’s orbit is at least slightly elliptical. That blows it right there. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-bridge-be-built-between-pluto-and-charon/522082/10 "2009-12-21T20:15:55Z")
Huge spring-loaded spools of extra cable on each end.