BAUT has a running thread on space elevators, more than possibly.mistermack wrote:Maybe there are ways around using huge rockets. You could start with an extremely fine, lightweight cable, and small counterweight, and then build it up, sending up more strands, with tiny carriages, and more elements for the counterwieght. Each time you send up another strand, you send up more weight, till you end up with something pretty substantial.Gawdzilla wrote:Once you get it up, it stays up. (Well, it used to, but I digress.) So after the initial energy investment the cost per pound to orbit goes down rapidly as the startup expenditures are amortized.
The carriages would have to have a power source, maybe solar power to keep the weight down.
You could maybe use huge kites, to get materials up part of the way, and provide extra support at the lower end.
NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
Why has no one suggested praying to a God?mistermack wrote:Maybe there are ways around using huge rockets. You could start with an extremely fine, lightweight cable, and small counterweight, and then build it up, sending up more strands, with tiny carriages, and more elements for the counterwieght. Each time you send up another strand, you send up more weight, till you end up with something pretty substantial.Gawdzilla wrote:Once you get it up, it stays up. (Well, it used to, but I digress.) So after the initial energy investment the cost per pound to orbit goes down rapidly as the startup expenditures are amortized.
The carriages would have to have a power source, maybe solar power to keep the weight down.
You could maybe use huge kites, to get materials up part of the way, and provide extra support at the lower end.

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Ezechiel's Wheel of Fire for a launch vehicle, Mr. Claus?
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Surprised the Pope doesn't use that God based technology to get the Popemobile into orbit.Gawdzilla wrote:Ezechiel's Wheel of Fire for a launch vehicle, Mr. Claus?
Even I might reconsider

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I could send the Pedomobile part way into orbit.Santa_Claus wrote:Surprised the Pope doesn't use that God based technology to get the Popemobile into orbit.Gawdzilla wrote:Ezechiel's Wheel of Fire for a launch vehicle, Mr. Claus?
Even I might reconsider

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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
From what I remember reading in the New Scientist, one of the biggest hurdles yet to get over for the space elevator is the tether. There aren't yet any materials strong enough to allow a tether to support it's own huge weight. There was a prize a couple of years ago for development of tether materials, the objective for the prize was only a fraction of what would be required for a real space elevator.
As for the technology involved in solar collectors.... it's a satelite with large solar pannels and a means of beaming the energy to the ground.... it's not rocket science.
As for the technology involved in solar collectors.... it's a satelite with large solar pannels and a means of beaming the energy to the ground.... it's not rocket science.

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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
There's also the problem of getting humans safely through the Van Allen Belt.Pappa wrote:From what I remember reading in the New Scientist, one of the biggest hurdles yet to get over for the space elevator is the tether. There aren't yet any materials strong enough to allow a tether to support it's own huge weight. There was a prize a couple of years ago for development of tether materials, the objective for the prize was only a fraction of what would be required for a real space elevator.
As for the technology involved in solar collectors.... it's a satelite with large solar pannels and a means of beaming the energy to the ground.... it's not rocket science.
If you go through it at rocket speeds, it's not too bad, but a lot slower and you would cook. That doesn't automatically make it useless, as non-living material could be lifted that way, still saving huge amounts of energy, and humans could travel in smaller rockets.
I think in the end, the materials problem will be solved using materials from the Moon. Look at the tiny rocket needed to take off from the Moon, compared to the one needed to take off from Earth.
You would mine the materials on the moon, and process them using solar energy and mostly robotic equipment.
You wouldn't get the same range of materials on the Moon as on the Earth though.
As for beaming energy from space to Earth, I dunno what kind of beam you could use, without using reflectors. And I wouldn't want to get in it's way.
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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
Microwaving Earth? What could possibly go wrong?
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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
I support this motion!Pappa wrote:A serious answer? I would spend it on creating a multi-functional moon base.
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+1Normal wrote:lolGawdzilla wrote: Vanskelig å se forskjell fra her.
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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
I propose this layout:Ronja wrote:I support this motion!Pappa wrote:A serious answer? I would spend it on creating a multi-functional moon base.

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Re: NASA Mission: YOU Decide....
I used to love Space 1999. Especially that girl who could change into a hawk
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Nuke antartica from space. If we're gonna have global warming and rising sea levels lets get it up and running at some speed the climate deniers will notice? They'll have to recognise it's real and man made after that? 

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There's a couple of NS articles about beaming power from space here:
Pentagon backs plan to beam solar power from space
California gives green light to space solar power
It's still early days and would cost a lot more that a billion dollars, but I think the billion would be money well spent.
Pentagon backs plan to beam solar power from space
California gives green light to space solar power
It's still early days and would cost a lot more that a billion dollars, but I think the billion would be money well spent.
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