[ExI] Inflatable tower could climb to the edge of space

[Damien Broderick]

At 07:16 PM 6/8/2009 -0700, spike wrote:

> > I still don't see how you can light up a rocket engine at
> > the top (let alone the bottom) and not set the sucker on fire.
>
> > What am I missing?
>
>You would need release the rocket and have a cold gas thruster to push away
>slightly from the tower to eliminate damage upon ignition.

Aren't those birds held down when they're ignited, and only released 
when they're already burning like crazy? Isn't the thing likely to 
tumble if you wake it up in midair?

This method requires the whole craft to be hauled up to 20 or 30 or 
100km, unless the tube is largely evacuated and it launches somehow 
from the ground without setting everything alight. I suppose if you 
drag it up empty and fuel it through pipes pumped by a monster motor 
at the bottom...

Damien Broderick