[LINK] Japan sets out plans for space elevator

[Rick Welykochy]

Ivan Trundle wrote:

> Clarity indeed (for Wikipedia): the section on potential failure will  
> have me ducking for cover. I'm not impressed by the lack of citations  
> that suggest that a failed cable will fall with the impact of a piece  
> of paper.

I jumped straight to the failure section as well, having read Red Mars
which described a catastrophic failure of a space elevator on Mars.

An interesting and very likely failure is falling off the elevator. Below
geostationery orbit, the falling object will eventually re-enter the
atmosphere and burn up. Above 47,000 km you are S.O.L. as your orbit takes
you into outer space.

And of course there are the invisible enemies of solar and cosmic radiation
and emissions in the Van Allen belt, which is thickest around the tropics.
Not a trivial problem to overcome. One suggestion made that the elevator
best be used only for hauling freight with conventional rockets used for human
transport.

I can't help feeling that just as the history of aviation shows, there will
be many unexpected failures in this larger than life system, and a consequent
loss of life many times over until "skyhooks" are safe and relatively
foolproof.


cheers
rickw


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