The moon seems stable enough. Geosynchronous satellites that broadcast TV signals are in stable orbits. This is basically an asteroid in geosynchronous orbit, with a cable reaching to the ground. But a space tether will require something we can’t yet mass produce: carbon nanotubes. Nothing else has the tensile strength that will be needed.
They’re not proposing a geosynchronous orbit, they aren’t proposing attaching it to the ground with a cable, they are proposing hanging a giant building from it that won’t reach the ground.
It’s not a space elevator and the concept won’t work even with infinitely strong materials.
Yeah having worked with cables and pipe in the oilfield at depth, my first thought was ‘stretch’. The weight of the building itself will cause it to stretch and compress limiting the total length...nanotubes might work, but that is still a long way with a lot of weight.
Also the depicted move from Dubai for construction to over the Americas, presents a bit of an issue with shear forces that would exceed the static load requirements significantly.
And then there is just weather. Wouldn’t want to be over Florida in Hurricane season.
The Moon is inching away from the Earth every year and satellites require fuel to correct their orbital decay. The tidal force that the Sun and Moon would have on this mass would cause considerable perturbations and the thing would either descend to the Earth or get pulled further out into space. I suspect that the friction from the Earths atmosphere would cause the thing to come closer to us. At 1,000 mph they had better come up with some heat shielding.
The moon isn’t attached to anything, so there’s no drag. The asteroid would have millions of tons of drag, as well as thousand of miles of ribbon creating air resistence.
Actually the center of mass might be in GEO orbit; but, the asteroid must be farther out to balance whatever structure is suspended by the tether.