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Space Elevator Update
TheMadReaper writes "The 2005 edition of the Space Exploration Conference in Albuquerque, NM came to a conclusion earlier this week. A large fraction of the conference was devoted to the Space Elevator. Surprisingly, there hasn't been much news coverage of this conference, perhaps because it doesn't have Space Elevator in its name. The most interesting fact I got from the conference is that money is really starting to exist in the space elevator world mainly thanks to the work of Dr. Bradley Edwards at ISR and at Carbon Designs, Inc. The strong nanotube talk was also more promising than last year."
I guess if enough money is pumped into this it will finally get off the ground sooner rather than later.
No, wait. We don't want it to get off the ground do we?
Would be cool to see this in our lifetimes.
So much to do, so little bandwidth.
--
Try Mozilla
Update: Still on ground floor.
The music in normal elevators is already driving me crazy...
Imagine going upwards for hundred sof miles while having to listen to Julio Iglesias' songs, performed by some guy on a synthesizer. NOOOOOO!
In a post 9/11 world, space elevators are WMD's
...err wait, I guess in any world there would be mass destruction if one fell.
My bad.
Ground floor perfumery,
stationery and leather goods,
wigs and haberdashery
kitchenware and food...going up
First floor telephones,
gents ready-made suits,
shirts, socks, ties, hats,
underwear and shoes...going up
Second floor carpets,
travel goods and bedding,
material, soft furnishings,
restaurant and teas. Going down!
Since it refers to operating costs, I can only assume kilograms refers to something of great value, such as gold or cocaine. Or, gold pressed latinum, if you're REALLY off in fantasyland.
Jeez, try to imagine the havoc if the cable comes loose from its orbital anchor.
But it would make a great seventies-style movie, sort of like "Towering Inferno". Frankly, I'm surprised that nobody has made a bad movie about a collapsing space elevator, now that we have all these computers. A space elevator would likely take several hours to fall, which is perfect for a movie.
Scene I. The Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony.
THE PRESIDENT: [Holding large pair of scissors] It is with great fanfare that I dedicate this space elevator to the United States of America, and its coalition of willing allied nations all over the world, without whom this great day might not have been possible.[Prepares to cut]
SCIENTIST: No, Mr. President! Cut the green horizontal ribbon! Not the black vertical one!
I feel sorry for the poor SOB who pays for his trip on the space elevator in US $2 bills.
A warning label you won't see on the space elevator:
In emergency, USE STAIRS.
This is a space elevator we are talking about. Might as well have the sign say "In case of emergency, use stars."
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
In other news there are a lot of people who are now dead.
Don't worry, once it's struck by lightning once it'll never happen again. So don't hop on the thing until lightning hits it.
Can't we just build a really, really, tall lightning rod next to the 62,000 mile space elevator? :)
Understanding is a three edged sword. - Ambassador Kosh Naranek, Babylon 5
When somebody has built a 40,000 millimeter bridge across a creek on campus, then we can start to talk about a 40,000 kilometer bridge straight up
They really should try for a 40 meter bridge first, then go for 400 decimeter, before attempting the 40,000 millimeter.
Dan East
Better known as 318230.
"When somebody has built a 40,000 millimeter bridge across a creek on campus, then we can start to talk about a 40,000 kilometer bridge straight up".
I agree with the point of the post, but where are you finding a creek that needs a 40 metre long bridge to cross it? I don't think a flowing body of water approaching 40 metres across can properly be called a creek.
How about a 4000mm bridge across a creek?
Ground-breaking is right! Mr. Wonka's ingenious solution to base the elevator on a weave of microchocolate fibres is to be applauded. However, once the sun shone on this, the chocolate string melted and the elevator hit like a meteor.
Next time, Mr. Wonka, consider using Oompa-Loompa hair fibers. Or maybe you can beam astronauts into space with that TV ray. Who cares if they come back from their mission 1 inch high?
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Apparently the operating costs of a space elevator will be approximately 0.45359 -- no units -- no matter where it's going or how much stuff you're lifting. That's potentially a good thing, although we still have to figre out how to come up with 0.45359. Has anyone ever seen a number? (No, I don't mean a numeral.)
Oh you've got to be kidding me. Name one Adam Sandler movie that has not been a disaster.
Nobody said space travel was gonna be easy.... suck it up and jump, ya pansy!
I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
Has anyone ever seen a number?
I can't say I've ever seen one, but I seem to recall that Sesame Street was always brought to me by one.
All employees must wash hands before seeking equitable relief.
I highly doubt anyone here can even walk one flight of stairs, let alone a thousand. I'd rather sit and starve.