Future of Space Elevator Looks Shaky

lurking_giant writes "In a report on NewScientist.com, researchers working on development of a space elevator (an idea we have discussed numerous times) have determined that the concept is not stable. Coriolis force on the moving climbers would cause side loading that would make stability extremely difficult, while solar wind would cause shifting loads on the geostationary midpoint. All of this would likely make it necessary to add thrusters, which would consume fuel and negate the benefits of the concept. Alternatively, careful choreography of multiple loads might ease the instability, again with unknown but negative economic impacts."

Comments

Told you so

[Junior J. Junior III]

I told everyone it wouldn't work. But would they laugh at me? No!

Alterantives

[Anonymous Coward]

If an elevator won't work what about a space escalator?

Re:Alterantives

[JCSoRocks]

Why take the escalator when I can take the stairs? *steps down behind couch*

Re:Alterantives

[gardyloo]

But when you get there the shops are all closed. Bollocks to that.

Re:Alterantives

[pushing-robot]

/me runs off to patent the "Space Canoe".

Re:Scary stuff

[IceCreamGuy]

you will be... you... will... be...

Just jump.

[skgrey]

If all goes to hell, just jump in the elevator right before it hits the ground. Problem solved.

Re:I call bullshit!

[Yetihehe]

The coriolis effect is not a real force. It's an illusionary effect that happens when you have a moving point of reference.

Obligatory xkcd reference: http://xkcd.org/123/

You think the engineering is mind boggling?

[zmollusc]

Your mind will be hyperboggled by the amount of paperwork, business trips and expense account lunches the project will generate. The engineering will look like chump change.

Re:You forgot Apollo 1

[Rayban]

Apollo 1 doesn't count, as NASA declared a mulligan.

Re:Don't forget the ninjas

[genner]

Wait till it 30.. it'll stabilize around then.

Unless she's still single. Then she'll start collecting cats.

Re:Scary stuff

[genner]

Take a ball of paper and throw it at 100,000 miles an hour. Tell me that's not going to cause some damage.

For starters it's really going to strain your arm.

The best part is..

[tmosley]

..a space escalator can never break, it can only become space stairs.

What could go wrong?

[JonTurner]

I am confident there will be no problems. Ship it.

Signed,
Bill "Shakey" Bradson
Lead Engineer, Tacoma Narrows project

Re:Don't forget the ninjas

[CODiNE]

There is no corresponding example of super-luminal travel. It is not possible given the current knowledge of physics, and that knowledge has been stable for a century. You are as likely to see violations of conservation of energy, or momentum, or baryon number (this is the one that nixes star-trek transporters) as you are a violation of the speed of light in vacuum.

Maybe we just can't SEE the hyper-dimensional space whales.