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Space Elevator

(neal.fun)
1773 points kaonwarb | 2 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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tempestn ◴[] No.45640679[source]
TIL it's estimated that over 48 tons of meteors hit the atmosphere every day.

Regarding actual space elevators though, while they're not sci-fi to the extent of something like FTL travel - ie. they're technically not physically impossible - they're still pretty firmly in the realm of sci-fi. We don't have anything close to a cable that could sustain its own weight, let alone that of whatever is being elevated. Plus, how do you stabilize the cable and lifter in the atmosphere?

A space elevator on the moon is much more feasible: less gravity, slow rotation, no atmosphere, less dangerous debris. But it's also much less useful.

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Yizahi ◴[] No.45641279[source]
The problem with space elevator is not only the lack of material today, but also the fact that such elevator is an ultimate and very fragile weapons platform, you basically get stones up the well and then drop them on the enemy. Meaning that any authoritarian country would destroy it even before it is ever built. And sturdy enough space elevator after it's break at any high point would start falling down on the planes in a loop, eventually flattening everything in its path when higher portions reach supersonic speeds. So unfortunately there is low chance it will be built, unless we sort out stuff on the planet first.
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pbmonster ◴[] No.45641357[source]
I don't see it. Why worry about a weaponized space elevator when stealth bombers, cruise missiles and ICBMs exist?

If the power building the space elevator wants to bomb you, you're going to get bombed.

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Yizahi ◴[] No.45642733[source]
Russia, China, Iran etc. are throwing a hissy fit whenever even a small weapons are deployed in the neighboring countries. USA too if we are being fair. They won't even wait for that opportunity.
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1. sixQuarks ◴[] No.45642770{3}[source]
The US throws the biggest hissy fit AND is the biggest hypocrite about it as well.
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2. actionfromafar ◴[] No.45643071[source]
When the stakes are that high, words such as hypocrite don’t fit very well. It’s all game theory. It bought us Pax Americana for a while. Not universally loved but a time may (God forbid) come when it will be universally missed.