Which equatorial country should get a space elevator?

[Arctic Daishi]

I'm torn between Somalia and Congo-Kinshasa.

 

[LamaGT]

The cable does not have to be vertical.
The wind would stop that anyway.

I think you kinda overestimate the force of wind.

 

[Silurian]

I think you kinda overestimate the force of wind.

If a 30,000km long cable was deflected 1km side ways 10km up it would be stretched50m assuming the ends are fixed.

A stain of 0.000166% is unlikely to require a very large wind loading on the cable.

 

[Mise]

So don't fix the end to the top of a mountain then. Anyway isn't the tension in the cable supposed to prevent it from moving?

 

[Silurian]

Winds are not confined to the top of Mountains. Winds in the atmosphere extend from sea level upto about 100km.

The wind would increase the tension in the cable so it would get longer and hence move.

 

[Mise]

I meant that if you don't fix the base to the top of a mountain and allow the base to move, it will be less of a problem than if you insist on tethering it to the top of a mountain.

 

[Silurian]

But then the wind will still stretch the cable and move it out of vertical.

The base of the cable would in effect be a sailing ship that just goes where the wind takes it.

 

[Domen]

Two alternative options IMO:

1) São Tomé and Príncipe
2) Somalia

 

[El_Machinae]

It's the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon that's supposed to be the real issue.

 

[Mise]

Didn't the guy who worked the proper orbit out at NASA figure all that stuff in too? Or do you mean the additional stress on the line caused by their pull whilst in a stable orbit, rather than making sure the orbit is stable to begin with?

 

[LamaGT]

But then the wind will still stretch the cable and move it out of vertical.

The base of the cable would in effect be a sailing ship that just goes where the wind takes it.

On such huge scales I seriously doubt that moving out of vertical is a huge concern, considering that the lifts would probably cause a lot more strain on the cable than the wind.

 

[Silurian]

The cable does not have to be vertical.
The wind would stop that anyway.

Well I take it you now agree that the cable is unlikely to stay vertical.

On such huge scales I seriously doubt that moving out of vertical is a huge concern, considering that the lifts would probably cause a lot more strain on the cable than the wind.

I did say that a deflection of 1km would only cause a stain of 0.000166%.

Depending on the size etc of the cable it is probably that the lifts could cause more wind load on the cable than the cable its self.

 

[Aleksey_aka_al]

Argh, Somalia! What sense such a megastructure would make if there are no pirates in space!

 

[Winner]

Argh, Somalia! What sense such a megastructure would make if there are no pirates in space!

OTOH the lack of government regulation there could be considered a plus

 

[LamaGT]

Well I take it you now agree that the cable is unlikely to stay vertical.



I did say that a deflection of 1km would only cause a stain of 0.000166%.

Depending on the size etc of the cable it is probably that the lifts could cause more wind load on the cable than the cable its self.

I'm sorry, I'm just not getting your point here.

 

[Lohrenswald]

Why not Indonesia?

People say Brazil because it's "relatively stable", but with my limited knowledge, isn't Indonesia stable-r?

Who needs stability when you have imperialism?

 

[Angst]

Who needs stability when you have imperialism?

Have you perchance read about Brazilian elections?

 

[Lohrenswald]

have you perchance read about brazilian elections?

негативный

 

[Angst]

Jesus I had to google that

Amyways

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/w...icity-at-the-ballot-box-is-the-norm.html?_r=0

 

[bhsup]

Is equatorial necessary or just preferred?

You need it above the equator for a geostationary orbit, right?

Can I get more clarification on this? I ask specifically because the Canadian Shield is one of the most stable land masses on earth and happens to exist in one of the most politically stable countries in the world with very little risk of terrorist strike or government turmoil, etc.

Are the higher latitudes simply not doable because of the science behind this thing?