Saturday, May 1, 2010

Fly to Mars With Almost Zero Energy

It should be simple to build a space elevator on Earth and Mars. The elevator cable could be long enough that an object released from its end could slingshot away from the Earth and reach Mars. The Martian elevator could catch the object and lower it to the Martian surface. The return trip could be just as simple.

Let's practice by building a space elevator on the Moon. An elevator in the low gravity area between the Earth facing side of the Moon and a Earth Orbit tether could get us to the Moon cheaply. Once there, an elevator off the Dark Side of the Moon could get us some serious Solar Escape velocity. I'd be interested in seeing the size of the Lightning Bolt when that Moon-Earth cable gets close to our atmosphere. Ouch.

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