Transmission wires from the Moon to Earth - Believe it ! ! ! !

From: rmenich@... [mailto:rmenich@...]

Mike Combs wrote,

"Unless said wires are also strong enough to support an elevator or two. :)"

That's quite a vision. I usually don't like speculating about things that
far in the future, but it is an appealing thought to think of riding up
the elevator towards a huge complex "anchored" at GEO. As the elevator
climbs, we begin to see the vast solar panels stretching out above us...

Yes, I too can't view orbital elevators as anything other than in a very
distant future indeed.

When I'm arguing with Mars settlement advocates, I usually bring out the
gravity well argument. Sometimes they come back with, "So what, after we
built the orbital elevator up from Mars, the gravity well of Mars will no
longer be of consequence". I must grant that such an elevator would be an
easier proposition for Mars than for Earth (which is a shame, since getting
off the Earth is problem number one), but I still can't see elevators to
orbit in as near-term a future as human settlements in orbit. At least I
can argue that the latter can happen within the limits of current
engineering materials.

Regards,

Mike Combs

From:
rmenich@... [mailto:rmenich@...]
Mike Combs wrote,
"Unless said wires are also strong enough to support an elevator or two. :)"
That's quite a vision. I usually don't like speculating about things that
far in the future, but it is an appealing thought to think of riding up
the elevator towards a huge complex "anchored" at GEO. As the elevator
climbs, we begin to see the vast solar panels stretching out above us...
Yes, I too can't view orbital elevators as anything other than in a very distant future indeed.

When I'm arguing with Mars settlement advocates, I usually bring out the gravity well argument. Sometimes they come back with, "So what, after we built the orbital elevator up from Mars, the gravity well of Mars will no longer be of consequence". I must grant that such an elevator would be an easier proposition for Mars than for Earth (which is a shame, since getting off the Earth is problem number one), but I still can't see elevators to orbit in as near-term a future as human settlements in orbit. At least I can argue that the latter can happen within the limits of current engineering materials.

Regards,
Mike Combs