h a l f b a k e r yI think, therefore I am thinking.
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The SOAR project entails putting into orbit a Mylar ribbon of
approximately 40,800 km length and, say, 20 m width then
join both ends so it completely encircles the globe high enough
to be out of the atmosphere. Impart a spin to it so the
centrifugal force keeps it taut and in place.
We know
have a new background for our worthy advertising
companies to laser project their valuable messages at night for
a reasonable fee to cover the costs of sending 6,500 tonnes of
Mylar into space and getting it into position. Yay.
[link]
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The thing will be unstable - you'll need constant
tweaking to stop it all going terribly wrong. |
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Any minor disturbance would cause the ring's centre
to move, until part of it collapsed onto the earth's
surface; the rest of it would then pile on top like loo
roll falling off a roll. |
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You could wind up with Wales covered in Mylar, but
there could also be adverse effects. |
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Thus the shadow squares and rocket motor mounts, off of which some damned fool(s) will steal the rocket motors. |
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Sorry, having a Larry Niven flashback moment there... |
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// it would then pile on top like loo roll falling off a roll.// |
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That alone would be worth the price of admission. |
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I guess this is one of those cases that I have to specify that
my neutral vote is the result of combined emphatic votes
both for and against. |
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Truth be told, I don't really care about the advertising bit,
but was just wondering about a reflective ribbon encircling
the globe about the drag of the atmosphere then given a big
spin to keep it taut. [MB] is probably quite right about
instability although never-ending harmonic vibrations might
be neat to see. |
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The numbers look fishy. 20 m wide? The ribbon would be like 1/50th the apparent size of the moon. |
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I think you'd need to make it a bit longer (41,000km)
to get it into lower Earth orbit (160km). |
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It will be only a pixel width with the naked eye, so
the advertising would be limited to a line of colours. |
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As long as it is kept spinning at orbital velocity I
don't think instability will be an insurmountable
problem. |
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The solution here is fairly simple. |
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Run the ribbon over the poles, and fill it with LEDs.
As the earth rotates, you'll be able to use persistence
of vision to display a wide swathe. |
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// As long as it is kept spinning at orbital velocity I don't think instability will be an insurmountable problem. |
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Sure sure, let us know when _you_ get the giant Mylar ribbon going at Mach 21, and then _I_ will show you the blueprints for the stabilizing doodad. |
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[lurch], my vote is the same. That inspires an idea… |
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