[ExI] Why no space colonies or lunar bases? was Mooon.

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jul 23, 2011, at 6:34 AM, David Lubkin wrote:

> I wrote:
> 
>> I would be very dubious about a space elevator on this planet.
>> There are too many loons who'd want to destroy it, and too
>> much uncertainty about what would happen if they tried.
> 
> Stefano replied:
> 
>> I especially have doubts that the science of materials may ever deliver a fiber capable of operating it.
> 
> A space elevator is technically feasible on bodies with lower
> gravity, where the demands on its materials are not as severe,
> but there's no way to ensure that all the loons stay on this
> planet.

Sure.  And many other types of rotovators (tether propulsion systems) are usable for subparts of earth based space launch using current technology.   We just can't do the perfectly stationary variant yet.

- samantha