Nano skyscrapers may precede space elevator

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What is the math?

What will be the strain on the cable?
If an orbiting satelite spools out this cable,
it won't go anywhere. It is orbiting as well.
If you tie a rocket to the end of the cable, and slow it down so the end de-orbits, That end will
be going slower than the orbital end.
Tie it to a fixed spot on the earth's surface and
it will pull the other end out of orbit. (I wouldn't recommend standing on the outer end when the cable goes taut!. So basically the far end (I'm figuring this out as I type) would have to be
23000 miles out (the region where the earth-synchronous satelites are placed). However, the
parts of the cable closer to earth would be accelerated by gravity (any object in space between the earth-synchronous altitude and the
atmosphere which is going slower that the orbital speed for that altitude would fall to earth.
so the cable would exert a downward force on the
satellite, and pull it out of the sky.!

Are there any astrophysicists out there who would care to explain?

Posted by: jimbo_z   Posted on: 10/26/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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