Why don't we stop playing around with these light weight ideas like elevators
and areovators and tethers and such. If we're going to talk about something
technically feasible but not doable, let's go with a BIG idea.

Let's build a bridge to the Moon!

... actually, the way I envision it, it's actually a bridge to Earth from the
the Moon, but that's just semantics.

One end of the bridge is anchored on the Moon.  The other end sways back and
forth somewhere between LEO and GEO. The only thing we need rockets for are
getting off Earth. Once docked onto the Lunar bridge, the rest of the journey to
the Moon or anywhere in between is achieved electrically.

The real magic is building a structure long enough and strong enough to extend
from the Moon's surface past the lunar gravity well. Then of course there's the
structure, a mere quarter million miles long, that reaches out toward the
Earth.  And there's the niggling question about stabilizing the Earth-end of the
structure so it doesn't rip itself apart.

What say you mentats to that?

Grotleg ! 
CH

Check out
www.craigholmfiction.com

--- On Sat, 7/11/09, Herbert Murray <hcm1955@...> wrote:

From: Herbert Murray <hcm1955@...>
Subject: [space-elevator] Re: Time to start a new group about: cheap access to
space (?)
To: space-elevator@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2009, 9:32 AM

I think this group is ok for tether based designs. Starting a new group is
always hard toget people to move over


--- In space-elevator@yahoogroups.com, "William" <wlm@...> wrote:
>
> I'm thinking having a new group started called "cheapspaceaccess".
> This group would discuss any and all technologies, both SE or anything
> else, for getting into space cheaply.
>
> The different technologies could have their strengths and weaknesses
> discussed by their respective advocates and critics.
>
> These discussions about non-SE technologies I find interesting.
> However, I think they could be better served on a list explicitly
> about them.
>
> If you people would want to join this new group, let me know.
> This group could be started either by me or one of you more frequent
> contributors to this group.
>




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