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Inflatable ‘space elevator’ invented by scientists
telegraph.co.uk ^ | Sarah Knapton,

Posted on 08/16/2015 7:23:13 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Canadian firm has been granted a patent for a ‘space elevator’ which will shoot cargo 12.4 miles into the stratosphere from where it can be launched more easily.

According to Thoth Technology, the lift would cut the cost of space flight by around one third because shuttles would not need to carry enormous amounts of fuel to get themselves off the ground.

“Astronauts would ascend to 12 miles by electrical elevator,” said Dr Brendan Quine, the inventor.

“From the top of the tower, space planes will launch in a single stage to orbit, returning to the top of the tower for refuelling and reflight.”

...

Engineers had always believed that space elevators would be unfeasible because no material exists which could support itself at such a height - although diamond nano-threads have been suggested.

However the new design by Thoth gets around the problem by only building the elevator to 12.4 miles so that it sits in the stratosphere rather than going all the way out into geostationary orbit, where satellites fly, which is around 22,000 miles up.

Dubbed the 'ThothX Tower' it would be inflatable, made with reinforced segments and topped with a runway from which satellite payloads could be launched. It would stay upright using a complex arrangements of fly-wheels to compensate for the tower bending.

The patent suggests that either pressurised cars would run in the core of the structure – like in traditional pneumatic tube message systems, or alternatively, they could climb up the outside of the shaft like a funicular railway. Each car could carry around 10 tonnes of cargo.

According to the designers, the tower could also be used for scientific research, communications, and generate energy from high up wind turbines.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: aerospace; brendanquine; sarahknapton; spaceelevator; thothtechnology
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To: BwanaNdege
I still think the way to go is the oldest and simplest.


21 posted on 08/16/2015 8:12:37 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: BenLurkin

But what happens when a line of Class 2 or better thunderstorms rolls through?

Remember the US Akron

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Akron_%28ZRS-4%29

and the USS Macon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Akron_%28ZRS-4%29


22 posted on 08/16/2015 8:13:18 PM PDT by Crystal Palace East (Are Crybaby Conservatives, calling everyone else RINOs, really Dems trying to get you to not vote?)
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To: BenLurkin

The mass of a runway (yes, an actual runway) 12 miles up is unworkable. Add to that the winds (in different directions) along that 12 mile cylinder.

Timber!!!!


23 posted on 08/16/2015 8:13:39 PM PDT by datura
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To: BlueDragon

That is one of my favorite songs. It’s weird, though... because I like Slayer too.


24 posted on 08/16/2015 8:40:49 PM PDT by Rodamala
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To: BenLurkin

Yawn, we will never see this implemented in our life time - I’m willing to bet on it. They’ll just sit on their patent and prevent anyone else to develop it. I hope theres a shelf life of these patents. If nothing are moving forward then they lose their patents


25 posted on 08/16/2015 8:41:48 PM PDT by 4rcane
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To: BenLurkin

Tower of Babel?


26 posted on 08/16/2015 8:44:20 PM PDT by BlueNgold (May I suggest a very nice 1788 Article V with your supper...)
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To: BenLurkin

It would obviously have to be built over DC to have half a chance at gathering the amount of hot air needed for inflation


27 posted on 08/16/2015 8:44:48 PM PDT by bigbob (The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly. Abraham Lincoln)
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To: BenLurkin

Won’t work.


28 posted on 08/16/2015 8:50:31 PM PDT by jetson
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To: BenLurkin

In stage two of construction, “then a miracle happens” , will Not build confidence in getting this thing completed


29 posted on 08/16/2015 8:53:06 PM PDT by teeman8r (Armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world.)
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To: 4rcane
Yawn, we will never see this implemented in our life time - I’m willing to bet on it.

That's because it's insane.

They’ll just sit on their patent and prevent anyone else to develop it.

Even the "US Pat Off" isn't that nuts, and that's sayin' something.


30 posted on 08/16/2015 8:57:15 PM PDT by 867V309 (Trump: Bull in a RINO Shoppe)
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To: Rodamala
It's not one I would want to hear everyday, but I had to laugh when I heard at again, first time for a long time.

Parts of the lyrics were as fitting as the title.

31 posted on 08/16/2015 9:11:07 PM PDT by BlueDragon
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To: BenLurkin

They can yammer all they want about complex arrangements of flywheels compensating for “bending” and such, but we physicists in-the-know here know damn good and well that the thing is going to be held up with skyhooks. That’s the only thing that’s going to work.


32 posted on 08/16/2015 9:18:20 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: UCANSEE2
Far too complex!

Mine is a cross between an industrial strength version of this:

this:

and this:


33 posted on 08/17/2015 1:09:31 AM PDT by BwanaNdege ("When the left wins, they're in power; when the right wins, they're in office." - Mark Steyn)
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