Comments on: Towers and orbits http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666 examining transformative technology Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:23:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Dan Weber http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-866006 Dan Weber Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:38:52 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-866006 A "half-way" approach has some merit, but trying to launch up to a grappling hook waiting in the sky is kind of the reverse of which half we would want. I think the best theoretical concept I saw was to build a linear accelerator up the side of Mount Kilimanjaro, which gets us to 5 km, and then extend the track another 5km or so. That's only gotten us through about 10% of the atmosphere, though. Once you're in space, you're halfway to anywhere. A “half-way” approach has some merit, but trying to launch up to a grappling hook waiting in the sky is kind of the reverse of which half we would want.

I think the best theoretical concept I saw was to build a linear accelerator up the side of Mount Kilimanjaro, which gets us to 5 km, and then extend the track another 5km or so. That’s only gotten us through about 10% of the atmosphere, though.

Once you’re in space, you’re halfway to anywhere.

]]> By: Snake Oil Baron http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-865974 Snake Oil Baron Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:41:41 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-865974 What about a hybrid approach? Have a geosynchronous station with a cable that only goes down part of the way down and a tower below it to launch rockets from that are equipped with a grabbing devise. After launching and grabbing the tether, it could either be pulled up to geosynchronous orbit or climb up like a space elevator. The tower would not need to be as high and the cable would not need to support the full weight all the way to the ground. Just a thought. What about a hybrid approach? Have a geosynchronous station with a cable that only goes down part of the way down and a tower below it to launch rockets from that are equipped with a grabbing devise. After launching and grabbing the tether, it could either be pulled up to geosynchronous orbit or climb up like a space elevator. The tower would not need to be as high and the cable would not need to support the full weight all the way to the ground.

Just a thought.

]]> By: Kent_Geek http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-865961 Kent_Geek Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:34:10 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-865961 Sorry - ignore my brain fart/wishful thinking. Km is right, duh. 6400km just seems so damnably high. Sorry – ignore my brain fart/wishful thinking. Km is right, duh. 6400km just seems so damnably high.

]]> By: Kent_Geek http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-865960 Kent_Geek Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:30:34 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3666#comment-865960 Great post, although I'm fairly sure your X axis is meters, not km. Right? Great post, although I’m fairly sure your X axis is meters, not km. Right?

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