OT: Space Shuttle Grounded?

[Peter Nachtwey]

The environmentalist wouldn't like it.

The elevator orbetor would be in geo-syncronous orbit directly above the equator.

It would cause the earth to wobble.

 

[akreel]

It would cause the earth to wobble.

Thereby affecting the tilt of the earth, which would have a huge impact on global warming.

We've figured it out, Lancie!!!

 

[Lancie1]

One more funny story, then I will stop about NASA.

The day of the Discovery launch, my wife happend to spend the night at a friend's house. Her friend's husband is a NASA engineer. The morning of the launch the engineer was running around the house, stressed out in hyper mode. His wife said, "Honey, it has been too warm in the house. Could you re-program the thermostat to a lower temperature." He replied, "I tried, but I couldn't figure out how to change the program."

This is a true story. How would you like to be one of the shuttle crew, knowing that guys like this are responsible for your well-being!

 

[Rod]

Was it Arthur C. Clark who envisioned the elevator? He used a single chain mono-polymer (my memory here) the nano tubes hold promise, Bucky would have been proud!

Two elevator/haulers are required as counter balances meeting at the 'mid-point', much like tower cranes. Mass is transfered and the load(s) are balanced.
That helps cut the 25 thousand MPH gravity well problem (required to escape Earth). Materials and manpower placed at the geo-sync place would allow 'cheap' building of ugly crafts to setup 'Hiltons' on the moon, where the gravity well is one-sixth, or is it 1/4? of Earths.

One other problem of the tether is the ENORMOUS amount of electricity the the tether creates as it intercepts the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind charge. Brings new thought about 'ground wiring'.

Space junk would have to be removed to help prevent severing the cord.

As far as global warming is concerned - we humans don't contribute SQUAT! Mini ice-ages occurred during the middle ages - no SUVs there. If Mother Earth decides to burp up some of the vast methane hydroxide ice under the sea we can kiss our PLCs goodbye.
When the West wall of the dormant volcano in the Atlantic island island slides (where the 'leaders' met a few months back) the Eastern side of America will take a bath and China will rule.

 

[monkeyhead]

One other problem of the tether is the ENORMOUS amount of electricity the the tether creates as it intercepts the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind charge. Brings new thought about 'ground wiring'.

considering the concerns with 'peak-oil' occuring sometime in the next half century, it would be pretty slick if we could somehow harness that.

 

[TConnolly]

Was it Arthur C. Clark who envisioned the elevator?

Yep. Fountains of Paradise. I dont think he dreamed it up, but the idea was obscure before his book.

One other problem of the tether is the ENORMOUS amount of electricity the the tether creates as it intercepts the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind charge. Brings new thought about 'ground wiring'.

Here is an interesting story about shuttle external fuel tanks and tethers, the charge they generate, and how that can be used for propulsion. The story was written to demonstrate known physics about tethers and their possiblities.

http://www.davidbrin.com/tankfarm1.html

 

[elevmike]

Rod,

I havent done my reading up on it yet, but I'd envision a climber that would grip the static teather to pull up the elevator platform. The climer would be powered by a laser, or microwave beam from the ground that would be targeted to a collector on the moving platform. (no counter weight).

 

[Tom Jenkins]

How long do you think it will take after the first spce elvator is commissioned before an HNC student asks for the PLC code?

 

[Eric Nelson]

Not in our lifetime...

How long do you think it will take after the first spce elvator is commissioned before an HNC student asks for the PLC code?

How long do you think it will take before the HNC exam is updated to INCLUDE the space elevator?...



-Eric

 

[Rod]

There are only 3 floors - ground, mid and top.

the problem is they are 13,000 miles apart

How many times could you stand to listen to 'The Girl From Ipanema'?

Oh well

 

[akreel]

There are only 3 floors - ground, mid and top.

Until Starbucks puts in a store at every mile or so.

How long would you have to wait if you pushed the "down" button at the top platform?

 

[Lancie1]

What type of Tether material could withstand blistering heat and radiation from the Sun, sub-zero cold from the vacuum of space, hold up its own weight (much less any additional stress from a so-called space elevator), ride out hurricanes, tornadoes, and the 100 MPH trade winds, survive collisions from meteorites and airplanes, and be cheap enough to make it practical? What State would accept the environmental risks and safety hazards of such a project? "Not in my backyard!" How many cities would be wiped out when this Tether breaks? Can you imagine if he broke loose on the space end, it would act like a giant whip, lashing and whipping everything within a 13000 mile radius! This thing would make a great terrorist target--only a sharp saw needed to create chaos!

Science-fiction is great entertainment. Just make one incredible hypothesis, and then build upon it. Good fun for all, and it does help stretch the imagination.

 

[ToddM]

Just a thought....

Hi Folks.....Just been thinking about this whole foam insulation thing and reading all of these great ideas {duct tape} and wondered if they couldn't wrap chicken wire around the booster to keep the insulation from falling off. If this works I'll share with the world my plan to end world hunger and eliminate pet over population at the same time.

Thanks and later....Todd

 

[Eric Nelson]

Some great video right at this moment from NASA TV. Use the Real Player link. The Yahoo feed sucks as you can't enlarge it...


-Eric

 

[manmeetvirdi]

Real adventure

HI

there is nothing in this world which will go on and on without any problems and breakdowns,ans space shuttles and technologies associated with it is no exception either.
MIR was there played its part and came rumbling down,so was Salyut,so will be ISS. But by then NASA will extract all that is required from it. NASA is leader in area of space technology with landings ranging from Moon to Comet via Asteriod!
Problems which comes in form of Challenger and Coloumbia will be solved sooner then latter, and accrding to me we will see the next space shuttle lauch before end of this year.
Meanwhile since NASA TV is not available here in India, i'am enjoying watching NASA TV in internet at :http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html?skipIntro=1
It real ecitement to see earth as Astronauts see from space shuttle, its mind blowing.
Real real adventure,
Regards,
Manmeet.