Space Elevator

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Rod
Rod
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23 Jun 2009 2:48:04 UTC
Topic 194416
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    Just heard Professor Quine of York University on CBC on his concept of creating a 20 Km structure to act as a space elevator. They have done some physical scale modeling :-)

    Space Elevator

    There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot. - Aldo Leopold

    Mike Hewson
    Mike Hewson
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    Space Elevator

    24 Jun 2009 0:22:20 UTC
    Message 93472
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      Quote:

      Just heard Professor Quine of York University on CBC on his concept of creating a 20 Km structure to act as a space elevator. They have done some physical scale modeling :-)

      Space Elevator


      I first read of this concept in a sci-fi about Mars - a Kim Stanley Robinson epic I think? It has a huge setup cost but very little to run. If you have product going down the stack it lifts stuff going up. That regenerative aspect is clever. But you still get benefits without that.

      Also, as the sci-fi illustrated, it'll make one heck of a mess if it comes down. The structural material qualities are rather stringent. It is the old battle between weight vs. strength, in compression and tension, but with flexibility in addition. I like the idea of inflatable components which lighten the loads.

      I'd be unsure if you'd get people to ride it initially though. Mind you, an exit in a gliding/flyable craft is do-able.

      Cheers, Mike.

      I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...

      ... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal

      Rod
      Rod
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      RE: I first read of this

      24 Jun 2009 3:01:31 UTC
      Message 93473 in response to message 93472
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        Quote:
        I first read of this concept in a sci-fi about Mars - a Kim Stanley Robinson epic I think? It has a huge setup cost but very little to run. If you have product going down the stack it lifts stuff going up. That regenerative aspect is clever. But you still get benefits without that.

        Arthur C. Clark wrote a book called 'Foundations in Paradise' which I think is the first reference to a space elevator.. Their paper actually references this book:-)

        Quote:

        I'd be unsure if you'd get people to ride it initially though. Mind you, an exit in a gliding/flyable craft is do-able.

        Cheers, Mike.

        There all plenty of adventurous people to try it out initially.. People with some disposable cash (about thirty million US) can get a ride to the space station aboard a Soyuz space craft.

        There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot. - Aldo Leopold

        Mike Hewson
        Mike Hewson
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        RE: There all plenty of

        24 Jun 2009 3:56:40 UTC
        Message 93474 in response to message 93473
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          Quote:
          There all plenty of adventurous people to try it out initially.. People with some disposable cash (about thirty million US) can get a ride to the space station aboard a Soyuz space craft.


          Ah, the ultimate bungee jump. Literally. It'd be the last thing you'd do. :-O

          Cheers, Mike.

          I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...

          ... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal

          Rod
          Rod
          Joined: 3 Jan 06
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          Credit: 811266
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          RE: RE: There all plenty

          24 Jun 2009 4:05:44 UTC
          Message 93475 in response to message 93474
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            Quote:
            Quote:
            There all plenty of adventurous people to try it out initially.. People with some disposable cash (about thirty million US) can get a ride to the space station aboard a Soyuz space craft.

            Ah, the ultimate bungee jump. Literally. It'd be the last thing you'd do. :-O

            Cheers, Mike.

            Actually I would like to take a leak off the thing ;-)

            There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot. - Aldo Leopold

            Mike Hewson
            Mike Hewson
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            RE: Actually I would like

            24 Jun 2009 4:19:04 UTC
            Message 93476 in response to message 93475
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              Quote:
              Actually I would like to take a leak off the thing ;-)


              Yeah .........

              Definitely a Bucket List item.

              Cheers, Mike.

              I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...

              ... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal

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