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Space Elevator

Old May 18, 2005 | 12:05 PM
  #1  
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Space Elevator

Very interesting concept, sounds like they could do it in our lifetime if given the resources. Judge for yourself:

http://www.space.com/businesstechnol..._020327-1.html
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 12:10 PM
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Okay i read about this sounds quirky but hey. Think about this
if the world spins at roughly 600mph (i think) would'nt that
elevator thing look like the jack ball on a antenna?
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 01:46 PM
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While the Earth does rotate at high speed, so does the atmosphere. There isn't any resistance in space, so no drag up there. The thing I see happening is it getting struck by a sattelite, asteroid, plane, aliens, space station, etc. and coming down hard.
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 01:57 PM
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Call me the devil's advocate....or even just the devil, if you must, but something tells me I really am rooting for people to die up there. Or maybe I am not looking to spend YEARS (unless we have serious "warp" speed) in that thing going to that lovely resort destination of (drum roll) Mars!

I now realize that may not be as lame a project as that Superhighway that that brilliant Aggie (oxymoronic, yes, I know) Rick Perry wants to spend $175 Bills on!

http://www.cardinalcollective.com/bl...01/001226.html
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 02:32 PM
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This idea was first brought to light doing the 60's by NASA. At almost the same time Auther C. Clarke also had the idea. It is sound from and engineer point for view. There is very stress on the system other than wind and harmonics. Think the Tacoma-Narrows Bridge. Powering the system is all solar. All the strength needed is to build it. Once built though it should be stable.

Our life times, I doubt it. No one has the fortitude to spend that kind of money for a project that most people think is a waste of time. Most people don't understand what the space program has brought them.
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 02:46 PM
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um...yeah...I think my vote is for 'ridiculous' on this one. $5 billion? If this works, then I am going to continue my effort that I started in HS. I will be building a large car elevator in NJ, maybe CT. At the top of that elevator...the top of the ramp. You will be able to drive down the ramp, across the US, and at the other end, take off and fly to Hawaii. I'm not too sure about the physics of this, but I think my Bronco may be able to make it. You should see the gas mileage I get downhill, let alone the airtime at the end of a 3,000 mile ramp I should get. A simple parachute and I'll at the Luau by 7pm....with my Bronco.

And the beauty of it? It's Hawaii!! Why would I want to leave? I don't even need to fabricate a method of returning to the mainland!
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 02:58 PM
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Thats good, I've got shotgun.
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 03:50 PM
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I can't do that i1dery.....I'm a "not until vehicle is in sight" guy. See my Poll. You reminded me that I wanted to ask that in here.

I will say though, as an FTE'er, I may give you hint where I'm parked and slant the odds a bit your way.
 
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Old May 18, 2005 | 05:46 PM
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Im gonna quess 2845 miles due east on the right coast off of interstate 76.
 
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Old May 19, 2005 | 07:56 AM
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you....you're good Are you familiar with the area at all?

And now I'm genuinely curious. This ramp idea is obviously in jest, but what would it take to jump a car to Hawaii? Maybe even more specifically, a 1988 Bronco? Ramp height? Vehicle speed? Ramp distance?

I'll supply all the dumb ideas anyone wants, but someone else needs to supply me with the physics. Furball? MRKnight? I'm looking at all you guys from the "Gravity" thread.
 
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Old May 19, 2005 | 09:03 AM
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Well my guess came down to just that a guess. You said you lived outside of philly well it just happens i live outside of seattle and
if you take I-90 to I-76 you run into your town. So the one good route for the ramp would be right along 76 to 90 right off the end
in seattle to hawaii. The physics yah someone else can figure that.
 
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Old May 19, 2005 | 09:05 AM
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I now thats one elevator I'd never ride.
 
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Old May 19, 2005 | 09:14 AM
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Jdmorg, I used to drive overtheroad for a few years and did some
traveling around the area to pick up loads plus we had a yard east
of philly and pittsburg so ya been up and down and around the
the area and east coast there. and i should say you guys out there
do have some pretty land areas out there.
 
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Old May 19, 2005 | 12:28 PM
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From: just outside of Phila.
hmmm....must've been awhile since you've been out here. j/k

Depends on where you mean. I just go back from Podunk, South Jersey (Salem Co.), and it's nothing but farm down there. A little higher up, by the 322 area and the Commodore Barry Bridge that crosses the Delaware, it's getting very developed. Northern DE, same thing. Just west of Philadelphia, outside the limits...again, same thing--lots of development. There are still a lot of nice places, it's just sporadic now. Once you make to the middle of PA, it starts to quiet down again.

I'd say one of the nicer, at least in terms of quieter areas in NJ, is the Route 72 corridor across NJ to Long Beach Island. All woodlands--The "Pineys"--and all of the big blueberry and cranberry fields are out that way. Then at the end of it, it's beach.
 
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Old May 19, 2005 | 12:35 PM
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No. I'm talking about the northeast region has some pretty country.i've been in town around there in areas rats would'nt go.
 
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