Replies

To: patton

I wonder what the electrical potential would be between the top and the bottom...

They did an experiment a few years back, lowering a tether from a Shuttle, I think it was a couple of hundred yards.

They weren't able to measure the potential, but fortunately, they didn't lose the Shuttle when it blew up from the current it had generated.

76 posted on 06/25/2004 3:05:27 PM PDT by Don Joe (We've traded the Rule of Law for the Law of Rule.)

To: Don Joe

Oh man, and it would attract lightning from 100 miles away.

79 posted on 06/25/2004 3:07:18 PM PDT by drlevy88

To: Don Joe

Didn't they try it again with a thicker cable and have trouble with the deployment?

94 posted on 06/25/2004 3:14:30 PM PDT by CyberCowboy777 (Veritas vos liberabit)

To: Don Joe

They weren't able to measure the potential, but fortunately, they didn't lose the Shuttle when it blew up from the current it had generated.

Actually the tether got stuck in the reel.

96 posted on 06/25/2004 3:15:19 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer

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