Space elevator now on the cards

[walker]

Hi all

It seems the space elevator that Arthus C. Clark invented is now looking like becoming reality.

Arthus C. Clark gets it right again

The big suprise for me is that somone has already made a carbon nantube of a couple of feet. WOW!

This is the stuff of hundreds of SF books. In Wiliam Gibson's books he describes a foot long single strand nanotube being used as a weapon (they are supper strong and super sharp) the protaganist uses it lop peoples heads off or split them in two or to cut steal bars.

The whole economics of the Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars series by Kim Stanley Robinson is based on this technology. It includes space elevators on Earth and Mars.

Personaly I think one of the most important places to build one of these would be the moon. My reasoning being if we ever develop space industries the moon would be the best source for raw materials refining and production. No real worries about polution plus being in orbit around earth it would give a great launch platform both back down to earth for any products and out into the solar system for exploration and maybe even colinisation.

Kind Regards Walker

[toadlife]

I like the idea of placing a bunch of solar power satelites in the sky. That would have the potential to clean up our planet quickly.

[Longinius]

As much as I like Arthur C Clarke... Can he really be called the inventor? As far as I know, it hasnt been invented yet, it doesnt exist. Its just an idea so far.

Am I the inventor of something, because I first envisioned it possible? Or am I the inventor when I actually come up with a real solution that makes the vision possible?

[toadlife]

Watch the movie 2001, and try and find things in the movie that actaully do exist today. It's quite amazing the amount of things that were dead-on, especially when compared to other old sci-fi movies.

NO he didn't 'invent' these things, but he had a pretty darn good idea of what was possible and practical for the future.

[Ex-RoNiN]

As much as I like Arthur C Clarke... Can he really be called the inventor? As far as I know, it hasnt been invented yet, it doesnt exist. Its just an idea so far.

Am I the inventor of something, because I first envisioned it possible? Or am I the inventor when I actually come up with a real solution that makes the vision possible?

If Clarke had not brought up the subject, would people even be contemplating such ideas and technologies?

That is an interesting thought there, are we inventing technology etc. because of the way they work, or are we working from an idea, such as Clarke or StarTrek or whatever, and then try to find a way to make that idea come true?

[Hilandor]

Arthur c clarke did invent i beleive he was the inventor of the first communication sattelite to orbit the earth so there

[Baron Hurlothrumbo IIX]

No, he gets called that because he first envisioned it, like the other things here. But usually when he envisions them he does it in a realistic way, eg working out what orbit the satellites would need to be geosynchronous, etc. So IMO he is an inventor.

You can actually patent ideas as long as they would work, if for example it would cost too much to build, but you had the idea. AFAIK

[Longinius]

Of course he is A inventor. I never said he wasnt. But did he invent this spacelift thing? Or did he simply envision it?

In my opinion, he is not the inventor of the spacelift, yet, as it doesnt exist.

[walker]

Of course he is A inventor. I never said he wasnt. But did he invent this spacelift thing? Or did he simply envision it?

In my opinion, he is not the inventor of the spacelift, yet, as it doesnt exist.

Hi Longinius and the rest of the pedants

Stop Quibling

Its the fact it is being built that is important.

No he didnt invent it. Heck he might might not even be the person who first envisioned it. All I can realy say is that he popularised the notion.

That I ascribe to him inventor is in respect of his vision and its marketing.

There are trillions of inventions that never get made or used cause they dont get that popularisation.

Give the man his due the fact your on this world spanning comms technology is in no small part due to him.

Kind Regards walker

[Baron Hurlothrumbo IIX]

Who are the rest of the pedants? I only saw one..

Anyway, this is great, needs more investment and development. But it could be spoiled or delayed by whiny tree huggers saying things like they did for that proposal to launch satellites by laser
'Oh but what about if a bird flies into it!?'

Answer = THEY DIE, and rightly so for being stupid enough to do so.