[extropy-chat] Space elevator numbers III

[Keith Henson]

At 01:13 PM 2/16/2007 +0100, Eugen wrote:

snip

> > Putting the anchor point at Baker Island deals with most of the
> > possibilities of being attacked.  Putting the anchor point on the
>
>Anything involving launching a ton of ballbearings on the other
>side of the Earth with orbit intersecting your ribbon will kill it.

Anybody who can launch a ton of ball bearings can launch a nuke which is 
much more likely to take it out.  But *why*?  Can you think of a country on 
earth that will not be a customer for low cost power in 20-25 years?

snip

>The real
>stuff we have now doesn't even come within the touching distance.

That's true.  But we are talking 15 years before the first thread goes up.

>What about atomic oxygen attacking the ribbon? You'll need to coat
>it.

The time the ribbon spends in the atomic oxygen level is too short to cause 
much damage.

>What about wear from the climbers? You will need to constantly
>reinforce the ribbon.

No climbers.  Mechanical lift.  Every hundred days or so the entire cable 
comes back to ground level where it can be inspected or the entire thing 
replaced.

Keith