This is... not a joke? https://www.isec.org/
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@sundogplanets just because the stakeholders aren't in on the joke doesn't mean it's not funny
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@sundogplanets @GhostOnTheHalfShell "Just" need to build some kind of upside-down railway track all around the moon and attach the bottom end to a trolley thing that chases the actual orbit . . . But when it gets stuck, you end up with the tether wrapped round the moon. Also, getting on and off might have its challenges. And all that moon dust wouldn't be good for the wheel bearings.
(NB I'm not suggesting this as a sane solution, even assuming there's an orbit that would work for it.)
@sundogplanets how could it be a joke -- they even have three new songs about space elevators /s 🙄
@sundogplanets I love the idea of a space elevator!
If only physics would look the other way....
@sundogplanets “The manufacture of tether-quality material for a space elevator still needs more development” is the understatement of the century.
@sundogplanets Can't wait for a tether to break with some massive object in the stratosphere.
@sundogplanets Look there are only so many million $ purses that rich folks can buy so the need something else to spend their money on. It's just a long shot bet like a lottery ticket. Without some astounding breakthroughs in material science it ain't happening but people are happy to take investors money to give it a shot.
They've been a thing for almost 20 years now.
Fine for speculative engineering. Very far from any actual application.
@sundogplanets
I’m sure it will be fine. No elevator has ever broken down before, or got stuck, so nothing to worry about./s
@sundogplanets
That one little line about "suitable tether material " is the big sticking point. All the science fiction i read as a teenager never considered impacts with a bazillion satellites.
@sundogplanets wow the faq is a jawdropping masterpiece of wishful thinking..
@sundogplanets Not really an answer, but https://xkcd.com/697/
@sundogplanets I think there's a valid distinction to be made between "not a joke" and "the people doing it don't understand that it's a joke".
@sundogplanets I’m sure that won’t cause any problem at all for the tens of thousands of future satellites being planned. No problem at all.
Not as much a planet as just a giant windmill. How entertaining.