To: supercarb
the space elevator in Fountains of Paradise is anchored to an asteroid in geostationary orbit, not a space station in low orbit.
I believe I stated the in order to have one end attached to the earth and the other to a space station the space station would have to be about 22,000 miles from earth. OK so it was an asteroid and not a space station. I have two questions: 1) what do they lower from an asteroid and 2) Who is going to lower what ever it is that is being lowered.
One final question. How do they get the elevator to lower to an exact spot on the earth from 22,000 miles up? They can't shoot it up to the asteroid because of orbital mechanics and the ability to shoot through the window to get it there. The elevator cable will have to be several million miles long in order to meet up with the asteroid and when it gets there who is going to connect it? And, who is going to reel in the excess cable and how?
Just wondering.
