Forum Overview :: The Knuckle Shuffle
 
Yes, it's under as serious consideration as planetary colonization in general by Senor Barborito 08/12/2003, 11:46am PDT
Except the deadline is (probably) significantly nearer, since machines could do a decent enough job of getting an asteroid here which makes things easier.

My fears reflect what Chairman Mao said and actually if anything I'm a lot less worried about a space elevator than a mining concern. See, a) the space elevator concept has been an obsession for rather a lot of people for a long, long time now so the math is very well established, b) carbon nanotubes provide, IIRC, 12x the tensile strength/weight ration necessary to successfully pull it off, c) almost all worst-case scenarios involve the tubules snapping and base of the elevator flinging itself off into space, and d) in order to even pull this off they're going to have to completely clean up all the orbital space junk (r0x0r) as it could snap the cables. A clean environmental slate is a very nice starting point.

While c) sucks for the people on it, it's worth pointing out that every worst-case scenario at all ends in them probably dying horribly except the ones that involve their sudden return to Earth which involve ALL of us (them included) dying horribly. Those latter cases are adequately covered with by a combination of thrusters on the elevator platform and some jury-rigged (extra-extra long range) ICBMs if they fail. Why this doesn't apply in cases of mining accidents: Mines go boom - see that one Star Trek movie where the Klingon home planet's (Chronos) moon exploded for a fair appoximation of the problem.

--SB
PREVIOUS NEXT REPLY QUOTE
 
Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by Entropy Stew 08/04/2003, 11:46am PDT NEW
    Re: Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by laudablepuss 08/04/2003, 1:29pm PDT NEW
        Oh yeah by laudablepuss 08/04/2003, 1:32pm PDT NEW
        Re: Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by Comic Book Guy 08/04/2003, 1:53pm PDT NEW
            Fucking ATOR. That's what I get for going away for three days. NT by Chairman Mao 08/04/2003, 1:56pm PDT NEW
            Re: Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by laudablepuss 08/04/2003, 2:58pm PDT NEW
            Re: Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by Lizard_King 08/09/2003, 6:05pm PDT NEW
                Why by Senor Barborito 08/10/2003, 5:22am PDT NEW
                    Re: Why by Lizard_King 08/11/2003, 6:02pm PDT NEW
                        Re: Why by Senor Barborito 08/12/2003, 12:11pm PDT NEW
                            Re: Why by Lizard_King 08/12/2003, 4:07pm PDT NEW
                Re: Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by Chairman Mao 08/11/2003, 5:47pm PDT NEW
                    I see by Lizard_King 08/11/2003, 5:54pm PDT NEW
                        Tourism = fine with me. by Chairman Mao 08/11/2003, 6:04pm PDT NEW
                            Yay. And a question. by Lizard_King 08/11/2003, 6:11pm PDT NEW
                                Re: Yay. And a question. by Chairman Mao 08/11/2003, 6:35pm PDT NEW
                                Yes, it's under as serious consideration as planetary colonization in general by Senor Barborito 08/12/2003, 11:46am PDT NEW
        The Challenger Launch Decision is awesome. by laudablepuss 08/10/2003, 3:30am PDT NEW
            WTF? by laudablepuss 08/10/2003, 6:23pm PDT NEW
                Re: WTF? by corax 08/10/2003, 6:33pm PDT NEW
                    Re: WTF? by laudablepuss 08/10/2003, 6:50pm PDT NEW
                        Re: WTF? by corax 08/10/2003, 7:32pm PDT NEW
                            Re: WTF? by laudablepuss 08/10/2003, 7:40pm PDT NEW
                                Re: WTF? by corax 08/11/2003, 5:13pm PDT NEW
                                    Re: WTF? by Chairman Mao 08/11/2003, 5:35pm PDT NEW
                                        Re: WTF? by corax 08/11/2003, 7:20pm PDT NEW
                                            Ah. True. NT by Chairman Mao 08/11/2003, 7:23pm PDT NEW
                                            Re: WTF? by laudablepuss 08/12/2003, 11:07am PDT NEW
    I personally blame Texas Rangers SS Alex Rodriguez for this. by Ice Cream Jonsey 08/04/2003, 1:57pm PDT NEW
    "workers in Texas" = Mexicans by I need clarification 08/04/2003, 2:48pm PDT NEW
        Re: "workers in Texas" = Mexicans by laudablepuss 08/04/2003, 2:59pm PDT NEW
        Re: "workers in Texas" = Mexicans by Entropy Stew 08/04/2003, 9:32pm PDT NEW
    Re: Boeing loss of mindshare a possible cause for Columbia blowingthefuckup by E. L. Koba 08/04/2003, 6:06pm PDT NEW
    "Mindshare?" How many business consultants can you fit in your ass? NT by Zebco Fuckface 08/09/2003, 4:04pm PDT NEW
        Ask my VP of cavities NT by Entropy Stew 08/09/2003, 6:26pm PDT NEW
            You rang? NT by whydirt, caltrops HALFLIFE2 08/10/2003, 11:03pm PDT NEW
 
powered by pointy