RE: Re: [OT] Beanstalk anyone?

No, you are correct. And this is necessary to maintain tention on the
beanstalk. If you put the end mass at the orbital velocity point, you
will
pull the whole thing down every time you send up a mass (as you pull it
into
a slightly lower, unstable, orbit). Therefore the angular force of the
endmass has to be greater than the pull of gravity on the end mass, the
beanstalk, and any payload (including transport) that you send up the
stalk.
Or at least that is how I understand it.

-----
Brian Bell
-----

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Bilderback [mailto:bbilderback@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 14:31
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Subject: Re: Re: [OT] Beanstalk anyone?

[snip]
  But if it extends further 
out, two things will happen:  the beanstalk is going to be pulling it
along 
at greater velocities in order to keep up with the base point on the 
surface, and the necessary orbital velocity will DECREASE.  That means a

stalk end set further out will be tugging at it's stalk, since it will 
probably be at escape velocities.  if untethered, it should go flinging 
away.

Or am I missing something?