The Pythagoras Sling has the potential to make getting into space much cheaper, safer and environmentally friendlier than rocket based systems. It needs commercial availability of graphene string but that will come.
The Pythagoras Sling, invented by Dr Ian Pearson, developed with help of Prof Nick Colosimo
More detail is here: Pythagoras Sling article
Advertisements
Interesting concept! What are the biggest practical development problems? Timing/coordination and materials?
LikeLike
Thanks Robin, development of graphene to the point where we can make string of consistent reliability is the main issue. For very high speed, we’d also need a motor that can pull it fast enough, and I think that will need a linear motor with engineered string. Feasible but further out. That’s fine because the first wave of string won’t be able to match long term spec either.
LikeLike