Slashdot Mirror
Carefully Timed Jerks Could Power Space Elevator
Hugh Pickens writes "BBC has an interesting article on the long-standing issue of how to power the 'climber' that would ascend a space elevator into space. Previous ideas have included delivering microwave or laser power to the climber beamed from the Earth's surface, but now European Space Agency ground station engineer Age-Raymond Riise has demonstrated a device that could provide a "lift into space" for cheaper space missions along a 100,000-km long tether anchored to the Earth. Riise demonstrated sending power mechanically by providing carefully timed jerks of the cable at its base with a broomstick to represent the cable held in tension, an electric sander to provide a rhythmic vibration to the bottom of the stick, and three brushes representing the climber with their bristles pointing downwards allowing the climber assembly to slide upward along the broomstick as it moved slightly downward, but grip it as it moved slightly upward. 'It would be possible to make a suspension system that completely decouples the cabin where the passengers are,' says Riise. 'For them it would be a linear movement with very little disturbance.' Riise says that he has been approached by commercial elevator companies, who are researching new ideas for elevators in superscrapers where the simplicity of the approach makes it attractive when compared to other ideas for powering lifts, such as compressed air."
Something tells me the average slashdotter might be able to offer assistance in this "scientific research"
Too...many...jokes... [head explodes]
Yeah? Well the jerk store called and they're running out of you!
Y'know, this just might work, seeing that there is such a plentiful supply of jerks on the planet.
What's the difference? You're their all-time best seller.
per dolorem ad astra
Slashdot: Setup lines for bad jokes. Stuff that splatters.
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
Yeah? Well, I had sex with your wife!
The jerk store called. They want the third derivative of the position function back.
Oh, yeah, it's not easy to pad these out to 120 characters.
His wife's in a coma...
Jerking at the base is ok, but jerking at the top works much better.
Mom: "Hello"
Me: "Mom, uh mom, I know it is late but.."
Mom: "Oh hi honey..."
Me: "Hey Mom, do you remember those sincere times when you tearfully told me to quit playing with myself and stop using so much water back in the day and how no good would come of it?"
Mom: "Honey.. It was in your best interest..."
Pause for dramatic effect, a little static on the line, the sound of dad snoring and breathing heavy..
Me: "Mom, NASA just called. They need an expert. I am going to space Momma!..."
Mom: "Oh Darling! I never knew you would succeed like this.. Your father will be so proud! What...what time is it? 2 o'clock?">BR> *rustling covers* *wierd pause* Space? I thought you were happy bagging groceries...
Me: "Well they needed an expert. That's what us experts do. I just got a call on the emergency line. I am gonna have step up training, and need to get started. Tell Dad I love him Mah. Tell dad I love him. If I don't make it.. you can have the cats..."
Mom:" What will you be doing again?"
Is this thing on? Check. Check.
please, google "begs the question".
Right away, sir. To whom shall I send the results?
Swedish plasma phys. PhD student; MSc EE; knows maths, programming, electronics; finance interest; seeks opportunities
> Actually, this is something the average person can see at home.
If anyone here had been a kid back in the last century, we could all have shared the memory of kite riders (no, I don't really know what they are called in english). While flying a kite, put a piece of paper on the string, and in a strong wind it will ratchet itself up. You could improve them, of course, one of the favorite mods being a release rod which would release the payload upon reaching the kite. You couldn't lift a lot of weight this way, but strategic stinkbomb bombardment was possible. Yes... Kids these days are sure missing out on a lot of things...
C-C-C-C-Combo breaker!