Future of Space Elevator Looks Shaky

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday December 9, 2008 @06:43AM from the a.-c.-clarke-quaking-in-his-grave dept.

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."

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Re:Maybe, Maybe Not by Bearpaw · 2008-12-09 08:59 · Score: 0, Offtopic

I don't think our current economic principals allow us to work on projects of this magnitude.
Well, it's pretty obvious we need to change our current economic principals anyway, so maybe we should keep possibilities like this in mind while we do it.