An Idea...

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, joe@... wrote:
>
> On Jun 01, 2007, at 05:54 UTC, Dave Handwerk wrote:
>
> > I actually have such an idea and have presented it to
> > NASA and was turned down. It is proprietary so I can
> > not discuss any details other than to say that it is a
> > new material of tremendous strength-to-weight. I call
> > it 'Super*Beam' or 'S*Beam'. ... Anyway, when fully
> > extended, the crane rises up 160 or so Km. and slowly
> > arches over, to parallel the surface of the ocean
> > below for 1,100 Km.
> > ...
> >
> This sounds incredible -- in the literal meaning of the term, i.e.,
not believable. I certainly hope it's true, but you're going to have
a hard time getting people to give you money based on such amazing
claims. Much better to build something -- even a very small something
>
> - Joe
>
> --
> Joe Strout -- joe@...
> Strout Custom Solutions
>

Hi Joe,

I agree that Dave's proposal seems as technologically and
economically impractical as the Space Elevator given our current
knowledge of materials. I also agree with Patryk's post the there may
be novel ideas out there that haven't yet seen the light of day for
one reason or another.
I believe that our ability to launch to orbit will eventually be
transformed by both incremental advances in technology and by leaps
in technology that we cannot yet foresee. In this regard I'm reminded
of the mindset behind the mainframe computers of the late 50's and
early 60's and the specialized group of users and operators who cared
for them. At that time I'm sure that these specialists couldn't
imagine the advent of personal computers and computer driven devices
that the common man routinely uses today. I'm sure that the concept
of the internet, if thought about at all at that time, must have
seemed like pure science fiction.
Today we have a launch to orbit infrastructure that will one day
be looked upon as the astronautical equivalent of the 50's mainframe
computer facilities. Today only specialized groups of people with
lots of financial backing can utilize our launch infrastructure. I
think one day a person will be able to make a reservation for launch
to orbit with the same ease that one can now book a flight from New
York to Las Vegas.
I think this is the direction that Burt Rutan, Virgin Galactic,
Bigrlow Aerospace and a growing number of other entrepreneurs are
headed. They are starting with the technology currently available. I
can't say what new technologies will appear over the next fifty
years, but I suspect that they will transform launch to orbit in ways
that seem like pure science fiction to us today.

Chris