Space Elevator using mechanical energy

Here is an interesting design for moving freight on a "space elevator". What do you think?

news.bbc.co.uk...

From the BBC Article:

European Space Agency ground station engineer Mr Riise provided a markedly more simple idea.

He proposed sending power mechanically - effectively by providing a carefully timed jerk of the cable at its base.

To demonstrate, he employed a broomstick to represent the cable held in tension, and an electric sander to provide a rhythmic vibration to the bottom of the stick.

Around the broomstick's circumference he tied three brushes representing the climber with their bristles pointing downwards - meaning it took slightly more force to lower the brush assembly than to raise it.

The vibration from the sander allowed the assembly to slide upward along the broomstick as it moved slightly downward, but grip it as it moved slightly upward. The net effect: the assembly rose against gravity straight to the top of the stick.

[edit on 5-1-2009 by Protector]

So they're going to build a metal dowel 200 miles high that won't snap or break, can hold tons of weight not including the weight of it's self, can handle horrible weather, just to do what rockets already do for much cheaper.

Rockets ain't cheap, but the construction of a device like this would be much more expensive I think.

Personally I think they will use other methods like the ones they developed using metamaterials and microwave pulses to propel objects upward into space. less material needed to build it and the devices would be reasonably cheap when built.

that would be one Big sander...

hold your hand on the the straw on the broom and you'll see that the vibrations make a structural mockup nearly impossible. what registers as a small shake on the earth end is a HUGE shake on the space end, but the escalation is the mechanic in which the pod would rise.

I still say some sort of "plasma tube" would be the best bet. also remember that anytime you send a lift up, you have to bring it down as well....