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This topic has moved here: Subject: Orbital Elevators
  • Subject: Orbital Elevators
Subject: Orbital Elevators

I was recently assigned a physics project in which we had to give a presentation on pretty much anything that pertained to a subject we covered in class. I decided to link orbital velocity with Orbital Elevators and was impressed by how much thought and research Bungie put into including them into the Halo fiction.

Firstly, Orbital elevators must be placed on or near the equator to get the most tension and Mombasa Kenya is almost right on the Equator. Also, the way the Orbital Elevator floats upwards after it gives way in ODST was very accurate, as the shaft of the elevator doesn't hold it up, it keeps it anchored.

In my research for the project, I found an article on Orbital Elevators on NASA's website and was surprised to find that they are seriously considering them now that the shuttles are retired(or will be by July). They gave an estimate of 50 years before we'll be able to build one. Anyway, just thought it was cool that we may see a Space Tether in our lifetime.

Link to Article

  • 05.15.2011 10:29 AM PDT

Have you seen my mind anywhere? I seem to have lost it...

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I have seen you future

Orbital elevators are amazing, and building one would probably be the greatest feat of macro engineering ever. It would also completely chance how we look at spaceflight, since it will be much cheaper (after the initial cost) to reach orbit.

  • 05.15.2011 10:42 AM PDT

I am alpha, i am omega.

I am the last of the primes.

Not bad op, Your theory is indeed correct.

  • 05.15.2011 10:43 AM PDT

Yeah definately. I just thought the practical application was so cool when I was researching.

  • 05.15.2011 10:44 AM PDT

Oh hey there

Posted by: petarded2
It's a metaphor for the 07s' lack of identity. too old to be newfa­g, yet too new to be oldfa­g, we wander b.net in search of a home, forever trying to be something we are not.

There was just a thread the other day asking what the most improbable technology from Halo is, and someone posted the orbital elevators. I was surprised to find that a lot of people didn't know that there has been a lot of serious research by many agencies into finding practical applications for them.

  • 05.15.2011 10:56 AM PDT


Posted by: Spartan1065
There was just a thread the other day asking what the most improbable technology from Halo is, and someone posted the orbital elevators. I was surprised to find that a lot of people didn't know that there has been a lot of serious research by many agencies into finding practical applications for them.


Yeah, that was kind of why I decided to post this. lol.

I've always wondered what the platform parts of the Halo Elevators look like from the outside. Most theorized space tethers require a counter weight beyond the platform that pulls the tether taught. But the only parts of the elevators that we've seen are the tether and the inside of "Orbital".

  • 05.15.2011 11:00 AM PDT
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Halo 2 isn't dead jorge...... its just missing in action.
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This would be cool. And also, it might make building ships easier.



Things from halo are coming to life.

  • 05.15.2011 11:02 AM PDT

Posted by:ScubaToaster
Posted by: HipiO7
This man, this man right here put it so eloquently that I actually cancelled my own 2000+ word long post.
/slow clap for respect


:)
The person who said participating is important, not winning, obviously never won anything.

Posted by: Spartan1065
I was surprised to find that a lot of people didn't know that there has been a lot of serious research by many agencies into finding practical applications for them.

  • 05.15.2011 11:44 AM PDT

Posted by:ScubaToaster
Posted by: HipiO7
This man, this man right here put it so eloquently that I actually cancelled my own 2000+ word long post.
/slow clap for respect


:)
The person who said participating is important, not winning, obviously never won anything.

Posted by: Rider Luke
This would be cool. And also, it might make building ships easier.



Things from halo are coming to life.


Oh mai gawd, I want mah ODST armor and HEV nao.

  • 05.15.2011 11:45 AM PDT
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Isn't it amazing, we will maybe get to see and maybe even use orbital elevators in our lifetime. They're actually relatively easy to build. Biggest problem this far has been finding material strong enough but now as we have carbon nanotubes, there is nothing to prevent us building them except the lack of funding.

  • 05.15.2011 12:30 PM PDT

Posted by: Spartan1065
There was just a thread the other day asking what the most improbable technology from Halo is, and someone posted the orbital elevators. I was surprised to find that a lot of people didn't know that there has been a lot of serious research by many agencies into finding practical applications for them.


And I was one of them, although I was well aware before posting that the idea of an orbital elevator is being toyed around with.
The reason I posted it is because I think that when we actually have the tech to build it, we've already found better ways to reach space, like rockets running on cheaper fuel. Remember that we're talking about a structure infinitely bigger than anything humanity has built and will build in the visible future. It's an ultrastructure composed of extremely expensive nanotubes that I have trouble believing companies would invest in.
Maybe in the very distand future, but not for a while.

OT: The rings that coat the orbital elevators in Halo - would they, or some similar form of outer structure, be neccessary for a real elevator?

[Edited on 05.15.2011 1:17 PM PDT]

  • 05.15.2011 1:16 PM PDT


Posted by: spurkis
Posted by: Spartan1065
There was just a thread the other day asking what the most improbable technology from Halo is, and someone posted the orbital elevators. I was surprised to find that a lot of people didn't know that there has been a lot of serious research by many agencies into finding practical applications for them.


And I was one of them, although I was well aware before posting that the idea of an orbital elevator is being toyed around with.
The reason I posted it is because I think that when we actually have the tech to build it, we've already found better ways to reach space, like rockets running on cheaper fuel. Remember that we're talking about a structure infinitely bigger than anything humanity has built and will build in the visible future. It's an ultrastructure composed of extremely expensive nanotubes that I have trouble believing companies would invest in.
Maybe in the very distand future, but not for a while.

OT: The rings that coat the orbital elevators in Halo - would they, or some similar form of outer structure, be neccessary for a real elevator?


I think the advantages outweigh the cost. Seeing as how the theorized tether wouldn't need a whole lot of energy to run. In fact, it could probably run solely on solar energy. So unlimited electricity is better than feul any day of the week, no matter how much more efficient it is.

The craft that would ferry people/freight up and down would most likely be a maglev transport and they only use electromagnets.

To answer your question: I'm not sure. Those rings may be there to support the elevator craft, possibly even protect it in some way. I honestly don't know for sure. Most renders of postulated space elevators don't show anything like that. It's also possible that Bungie just put those in for aesthetic purposes. Maybe the rings are the electromagnets. Don't know.

[Edited on 05.15.2011 3:13 PM PDT]

  • 05.15.2011 3:12 PM PDT

I always thought of them as being a mix of structural enforcement and the electromagnets. I just thought that _if_ they actually would be neccessary, we'd have a hard time placing them on top of each other.

Good point about the solar energy.

  • 05.15.2011 3:17 PM PDT

i dont believe any country would build the elevators for at least one hundred years. i mean why would we, we have no large assets in space and the elevator would be highly underused for what it cost. Even in the time span of a hundred years. it would probably be cheaper just to fly our stuff into space.

  • 05.15.2011 3:32 PM PDT

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Theres a couple problems with a orbital elevator. Like would NASA tie a rope to a space shuttle while it takes off? How would they get the tether from the ground to space? Also the problem with space junk and asteroids destroy the tether.

  • 05.15.2011 3:35 PM PDT


Posted by: ImmortalJoshua
Theres a couple problems with a orbital elevator. Like would NASA tie a rope to a space shuttle while it takes off? How would they get the tether from the ground to space? Also the problem with space junk and asteroids destroy the tether.

Here is a couple answers to your problems. a large container would hold the space ship inside. build the elevator from space down. laser breams

  • 05.15.2011 3:43 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.

The biggest problem I can see with the elevators is if there is a failure near the top. What if a piece of junk hit the elevator near the top and broke the orbital off? We now have several miles of debris falling from near orbit and landing all over the place.
If we find a way to protect the elevator from damage we are fine.

  • 05.15.2011 4:00 PM PDT

When we eventually build an orbital elevator, I think we've already developed lasers or missiles capable of neutralizing objects in most sizes, posing a threat to the elevator. If an asteroid, for example, approaches it, it would probably be dealt with another way before even getting close to the planet.

  • 05.15.2011 4:54 PM PDT

sup if you don't like what I post you can go suck one this is the internet not Grammer class so GTFO Grammer N@ZI's

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  • 05.15.2011 5:20 PM PDT

Have a look into the meta-materials and other 'new inventions' being worked on for orbital elevators and you'll see some amazing science works underway.

The meta material is going to be the perfect hexagonal or octagonal configuration on the nano-scale. It's really interesting reality sci-fi, if you're into that.

[Edited on 05.15.2011 5:28 PM PDT]

  • 05.15.2011 5:28 PM PDT