Sun 16 Oct 2005
To hell with NASA, this is the future of space travel:
Today’s communications satellites demonstrate how an object can remain poised over a fixed spot on the Equator by matching its speed to the turning Earth, 22,300 miles (35,780 km) below. Now imagine a cable linking the satellite to the ground. Payloads could be hoisted up it by purely mechanical means, reaching orbit without any use of rocket power. The cost of launching payloads into orbit could be reduced to a tiny fraction of today’s costs.
October 16th, 2005 at 3:29 pm
It’s certainly a possible future - or rather a way to get to orbit and where all the exciting bits are happening.
Some work needs to be done - the ribbon material of course needs to be perfected. A lifter needs to be designed that can traverse the ribbon. More importantly a number of legal questions need to be resolved before we can book space on a half-dozen Delta IV flights to loft the seed ribbon.
We’re optimistic but any of these things could derail the project. Drop by liftport.com and see what you think. Feedback is important.
October 16th, 2005 at 3:55 pm
More importantly a number of legal questions need to be resolved before we can book space on a half-dozen Delta IV flights to loft the seed ribbon.
I don’t worry about the US legal challenges. All you need to do is convince them the Chinese are about to launch one and the DoD will bend over backwards to help.
The big issue you still face is in materials science. Once you get the carbon nanotube ribbon (and find the resin to bind it) it really becomes a engineering issue.
October 17th, 2005 at 1:07 am
All you need to do is convince them the Chinese are about to launch one and the DoD will bend over backwards to help.
I’m not sure fibbing is the best way to get it done. Maybe I’m too close to the issue but I don’t see any state actor going on a limb and advocating this - it’s so not How Things Are Done.
it really becomes a engineering issue.
Easy enough to build, sure. But getting it done is going to devolve into a legal tussle, long after it’s clear we _can_ do it - this is simply the way of the world. If it weren’t we wouldn’t have so many rich lawyers.
October 17th, 2005 at 12:29 pm
I don’t see any state actor going on a limb and advocating this
China has a 150 year master plan for its Three Gorges Dam area. They are the only nation with the long term thinking and ability to build a bean stalk.
If a Space Elevator is built in my lifetime it will be via a consortium of American and Japanese private enterprise or the Chinese government.