Nanotube Cable Can Connect The Earth And The Moon

spacedaily ^ | 18 Nov 03 | staff

[Gorjus]

Could connect to a moon synchronous orbiting station at the earth end.

Though the moon is tidally locked to the Earth, it would be more accurate to say that it we are part of a dual-planet system since the orbit of the moon is influenced more by the sun than the Earth. (You can work out the numbers, but one aspect of that is that the moon's orbit is always concave toward the sun - meaning even when it is on the sun side of the earth, it doesn't curve away from the sun - it just doesn't curve toward the sun quite as much as the Earth's own orbit and so it moves across our orbital path. Of course, when both the sun and the Earth are on the same side of the moon, its orbit is more sharply curved than the Earth's and it crosses back inside.)

All that means a 240,000 mile string from the moon to somewhere close to the earth would see some pretty complex forces.

[RightWhale]

Vacuum's suck right? Did I spell that right?

Alternatively one could spell the plural in the Latin form. Of course one will be thought presumptuous.

[KellyAdmirer]

This stuff is pretty amusing, but at least someone is thinking about developing the Moon somehow. NASA sure isn't. They're more interested in trying to blow up Jupiter.

[Consort]

Terra-lunacy?

[ClearCase_guy]

Sheila Jackson-Lee will propose a cable connecting the Earth and Mars, so that they can orbit in lockstep with one another, and make return visits more cost-effective.

[RightWhale]

Trying to figure out why so many outrageous science stories emanate from Russia. Could be some Weekly World News types who are former scientists and are trying to make a living under capitalism. They know quite well what the truth is; one would have to in order to create these stories.

[Old Professer]

I just checked my Webster's; you're right, it's suck.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: Sorry to show my ignorance, but exactly how is this supposed to work? It's not like the moon stays still, or the earth doesn't rotate.

Simple, we plug it into Hillary's anus. It is spinning at a constant rate...

[Onelifetogive]

This could be very dangerous...what happens if the Earth's rotation winds up the cable and causes the Moon to crash into the Earth?

Of course...we would need to install a nano-slipring on both the earth and moon to prevent this.

[StriperSniper]

Here is the inspiration for this 'lunar supply basket':

I know, you think I'm jerking your chain nanotube. ;-)

[Spiff]

Screw the earth to moon idea - that's a bit far-fetched. But this article excites me because it shows that the more realistic space elevators (to geosync) are getting closer.

[Beaker]

This is right up there with post promoting the faked Apollo 11 mission. These are the things that make my brain go "ow." Then I just throw my hands up and walk away.