[John Jamieson]

No need to worry about terrorists; it will never be built, it won't work. Once these MIT students start doing the math, they'll realize that.

John Jamieson MIT XVI (aero/astro) '67, NASA 67-94 retired

[Strategerist]

I only survived two years at MIT before I transferred out, so I don't know enough to know it won't work :-)

Thing about terrorism is that I can't think of anything easier to defend from terrorists than some platform out in the Pacific Ocean on the Equator.

[Boiler Plate]

Where does the idea fail?

[Mad Dawgg]

"No need to worry about terrorists; it will never be built, it won't work. Once these MIT students start doing the math, they'll realize that."

Yep, I heard that same kind of thinking about 20 years ago. It was in recording technology and the "Noise Barrier" which is when your record a recording and keep doing it on analog equipment till the background noise (sometimes referred to as white noise) degrades the recording.

I was told that no matter what the physics would not allow us to proceed past a certain number of recordings and it all could be proved mathematically.

Then along came digital technology and blew that theory right out the door.

[guitfiddlist]

No need to worry about terrorists; it will never be built, it won't work. Once these MIT students start doing the math, they'll realize that.

John Jamieson MIT XVI (aero/astro) '67, NASA 67-94 retired

No arguments from this quarter - but would be interested to hear your explanation of fatal flaw(s).

Guitfiddlist, MIT Course XVI (Aero & Astro) '81, USAF 81-85
(skin-of-teeth survivor of sophomore-year Unified Engineering)

[John Valentine]

This problem of angular momentum (or coriolus acceleration)
is one that stuck out at me the very first time I read about this concept many years ago when it was being popularized by Arthur C. Clarke. I was surprised at the time that this issue simply was never raised by Clarke or any other science writers.

I thought maybe I had it wrong. It's good to see that there is someone else who noticed this rather fundamental flaw in the scheme.

[Rifleman]

You wouldn't have a pointer to an analysis of why the idea fails, would you? Other than your ex cathedra statement?

There are lots of potential show stoppers: electromagnetic (lightning, induced current flows, etc), orbital debris threats, vulnerability to attack, availability of a huge quantity of extremely strong building material (fullerine fibers are more than strong enough if they can be created in quantity), but that is what engineers are for.

Search google for space elevator and satellite tethers for some actual analysis.