why cant they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?
$begingroup$
why cant they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?
i know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.
why cant we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?
launch spacecraft design
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
why cant they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?
i know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.
why cant we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?
launch spacecraft design
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
New contributor
SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
why cant they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?
i know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.
why cant we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?
launch spacecraft design
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
New contributor
SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
why cant they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?
i know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.
why cant we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?
launch spacecraft design
launch spacecraft design
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
New contributor
SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
New contributor
SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
New contributor
SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
asked 3 hours ago
SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey
61
61
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SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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2 Answers
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Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
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$begingroup$
As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.
It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
$endgroup$
Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
answered 1 hour ago
DarkDustDarkDust
6,87432854
6,87432854
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.
It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.
It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.
It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
$endgroup$
As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.
It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
answered 1 hour ago
GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger
2,073216
2,073216
add a comment |
add a comment |
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