Shuttle Columbia STS-107 Message Board

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Pastimes : Shuttle Columbia STS-107

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To: Larry S. who wrote (369)	2/5/2003 3:17:38 PM
From: Bill Jackson	of 627

Larry, Yes a free standing tethered structure with a counter weight at the end to keep it tight would work fine. many Science fiction stories have been written on this theme. So far not even carbon fiber has the strength do do this, but at some time they may be able to make such a structure and then all that are needed is elevator cars to go to orbit with electricity. Now that would get you height, but not lateral velocity. You would still need something to throw away as hot reaction mass to get the payload onto the moving space platform. That fuel could be pumped up in man many stages with electricity. Remember a pipe of standing water 32,000 miles long would have one hell of a pressure at the bottom. So if you want to keep the pressure under 1000 PSI you will need pumping stations every ~2000 feet or 2 per mile and with 32,000 miles that = 64,000 stations, or maybe a little less as G would fall with altitude. Other problems exist, such as with non structural cargo, you need the cable to be even stronger. I think it will take a while longer than 15 years, but it will come in time. Bill

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