> > > > Send a rocket with a winch attached to 144,000km above the earth's > > surface. Send baloon up until it can float no higher, then winch it the > > rest of the way to LEO or GEO as you choose :-) > > > > Et voila! > > > > There is no cable even a kevlar one that can support its own weight without > breaking longer than a few miles > The best chance to do this would be with a spider web line , but technology > to synthesize these has not yet matured. > > Peter van Hoof > peter at whacky-scientist dot com > I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that carbon nanotubes have the necessary strength/weight ratio to accomplish this. Of course manufacturing them into a cable ant any realistic price is another thing. :o) -Denny _______________________________________________ http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist