What I never seem to see addressed, is the following: As the elevator ascends the cable, it&#x27;s &quot;ground speed&quot; must continually increase. What is the source of the force that provides that acceleration (parallel to the ground)?<p>A traditional rocket expends a great deal of energy firing its rockets with a component parallel to the surface of the earth to gain acceleration in that direction. Where is the equivalent coming from w&#x2F; the space elevator?