Elevator to the stars

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by andrewas: Of course, if someone wanted to go further than the top of the elevator, you would then need big engines. The moon would probably be less than a days travel for a round trip.

The engines may not need to huge. I read another article that plans are on the board for an Ion engine that could make the trip to Mars in 39 days. You do not need super-sized engines once you are in space, just steady thrust.

The best would be an engine that could generate one G of acceleration. Then you would even have gravity while in-fight.

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by Gabrielles blades: how would it help those industries? all of their work is done on earth no? and as for ending world hunger, it would cost trillions to give the moon the facilities or atmosphere etc to make a working farm; you may as well just make a really big boat and have your farms in the ocean if your out of space on land.

Micro-gravity allows you to do things impossible on Earth. Plus if the ice deposits on the moon's south pole turn out to be more then skin deep, all the materiels could be made on site. One big thing that could be built on the moon would be a huge radio telescopes on the far side. They could be far more sensitive then anything on earth.

The most promising near-term uses was mentioned in the article. The ability to move large solar arrays into space that could then beam power back to ground based stations via microwave. The panels would be in constant sunlight and could theoretically generate more power then we could imagine using.

[AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe]

The article I read on it said that it would take like 3 days to reach to top, because it was spiralled and had to go slow or something, either way its still way cheaper, you know how long it takes to plan a shuttle launch.

[andrewas]

True enough Rokenn, big engines are not neccesary. But it seems a shame to phase them out entirely.

And Gabrielles, forget about the moon. Im talking about building stuff in earth orbit. Since you have effectively infinite space and effecively infinite power, theres very little that cant be done with sufficient imagination.

As for industry doing all there work on the ground, they havent got much choice at the moment. But, a brief search on gogle will turn up sites such as this :

http://microgravity.nasa.gov/pcgHigh2.html

Which lists several medical advances made possible because of the possibility of a microgravity environment. Its not the best of sites, but I havent time for a thorough search.

[wellard]

What a load of Bulldust

"African countries could send up a solar satellite, and use that energy to build wells, and pump water and develop their economies," Edwards said.

Yeah! like don't bother with solar panels, especialy in africa with all that sun and desert lets have this option instead. and gosh one day we will invent a simple windpump that can draw water from deep underground.

What planet is this guy on?

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[Rokenn]

Slightly off-topic, but if you want to read a pretty good sci-fi story about space elevator tech check out The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke.

[andrewas]

Well, a solar satelite could cost only a few hundred thousand to deploy once the elevators in place, and provide sufficient power for the entire country while being immune to almost all of the problems that plauge ground based installations.

I agree that its not the most obvious solution to africas problems, but problems are very rarely solved best by the obvious solution.

[wellard]

Bulldust#2

"With the space elevator you could easily have an operating tourist system and a small city up there," Edwards said. "The space elevator would essentially allow the world to participate."

yep thats THE WHOLE WORLD mind you even those starving in somalia, in between scratching around in dirt looking for some food they could hop on an bus for a few days ride to go on an elavator for a holiday.

Does this sort of crap thinking make me mad? HELL YES!

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by wellard: Bulldust#2 "With the space elevator you could easily have an operating tourist system and a small city up there," Edwards said. "The space elevator would essentially allow the world to participate." yep thats THE WHOLE WORLD mind you even those starving in somalia, in between scratching around in dirt looking for some food they could hop on an bus for a few days ride to go on an elavator for a holiday. Does this sort of crap thinking make me mad? HELL YES!

wellard,
Right now, today, we have more then enough food to feed everyone in the world. The reason hunger presists are not economic, they are political. Even when food relief can be sent to war-torn countries it is diverted by local governments/warlords/tribal leaders to the people they choose. Maybe once Dubya is done with Iraq he can focus on 'liberating' all the other countries stifiling under despots. Don't hold your breath.

[ 02-04-2003, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: Rokenn ]

[wellard]

Originally posted by Rokenn: Right now, today, we have more then enough food to feed everyone in the world. The reason hunger presists are not economic, they are political. Even when food relief can be sent to war-torn countries it is diverted by local governments/warlords/tribal leaders to the people they choose. Maybe once Dubya is done with Iraq he can focus on 'liberating' all the other countries stifiling under despots. Don't hold your breath.

I agree with what you say, and back on thread I also am exited by nano technology, but this used car salesman spouting out this ill considerd sales pitch I find insulting. Sure lets invest heavily in this cutting edge science but lets not be kidded into thinking it will cure the worlds problems on the cheap. This is half a million dollers (usa), if he wanted to help the poor there are a lot better and cheaper ways proven to work.

[ 02-04-2003, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: wellard ]