What happens to the counterweight if you cut the cable on a space elevator? Also, do you ever have to reset the counterweight after pulling too much stuff up, or is there just a weight limit you're not supposed to cross with any one load?
@Mazura The counterweight goes flying off into solar orbit. So where did you cut it? Did you build a double long cable, so you need no counterweight, or do you weight it at the orbital length?
In Kim Stanlet Robinson's Red Mars series, terrorists cut the orbital elevator on Mars and the cable, in AreoSync orbit is like 3 times the circumference of Mars, so it falls, at orbit speed, and collides with the surface and wraps about three times. A horrible concept. But cleverly thought through.
@geoffc Ah, the counterweight is already at escape velocity. Well no wonder there's a full stop after tensile strength in any discussion of them.
So do you have to keep pushing it back up there once in a while, or there's a max weight limit so that you don't pull it back down? Or that's not even a problem?
@Mazura Read the Red Mars series, the ideas for terraforming are super interesting. The politics are interesting. But my favorite part is the elevator wrapping around Mars multiple times. And hitting at orbital velocity (not enough air to slow it down) and being strong enogh.
It is a super fun series (3) books.
I think the idea is that the weight might be applying tension to the elevator. But you make a fair point. Why would its orbit not decline?
Sorry, I just have to repost this image, because it so freaking awesome:
A Freaking Tesla Roadster on a payload adapter, being encapsulated in a payload fairing for launch on the inaugural Falcon Heavy. That is so ridiculous and awesome I just love it!
They didn't make sense to me at all until I learned there's a counterweight making it twice as long as necessary. Screw tensile strength, how we supposed to put a giant rock into space? ;p
You do not launch the counterweight, you steal an asteroid. Small one. While the counterweight is 'heavy' in the context of us, it is small in the context of asteriods.
@Mazura Elon Musk, owns (effectively) SpaceX and Tesla. Combining both into one gloriously awesome display of savvy.
He had to launch something. And tanks of water for future fuel depots is boring. This is cool and awesome he is sure to get crazy free coverage for it.
And no one else has the balls to try somethint this ridiuculous. You know ULA, ESA/ArianeSpace would try something serious.
I so want to go down and watch the F-H launch. You get liftoff, which is sure to be spectacular, at 5 Mlbs thrust that is second only to Shuttle/SaturnV (7.7 and 7.5).
Then you get either a synchronized landing at LZ-1 which is sure to be awesome, or else two landings one after another, also sure to be awesome.
@Mazura Tank you, yes that was the quote I was aiming to misuse.
@Mazura Launch from LC-40/LC-39A in Florida (so on the coast) or SLC-4E (Vandenberg, so also on the other coast). The land either back on land (RTLS, at LZ-1 in Florida, formerlly an Atlas pad LC-16) or else on an ASDS barge. OCISLY in the Atlantic, JRTI in the pacific.
Poor Lunar Rover, you held that record for so long. Now a stupid sports car is going to beat you. Alas poor Rover I knew ye well.
I asked to many low quality questions, got a question block and wander if it is in the power of the moderators here to lift blocks? I will make sure my next question is a good one.
I asked to many low quality questions, got a question block and wander if it is in the power of the moderators here to lift blocks? I will make sure my next question is a good one.
