Space travel idea.

Firstly, I was'nt sure where to post this so MOD's please feel free to move it. There has been alot of talk about using a meteor to travel through space by 'hitching' a ride on it. This got me thinking and I have a new idea I would like to bounce off everybody here.

For those of you who go fishing, I think we need to create a long line with a torpedo or kite (meteor) on it, we catch a meteor and have an earth based line with low tension that is constantly being fed out at the same rate the meteor is traveling - the edge of space is only 350 km from earth obviously we would want to catch this meteor further out, if we could direct the meteor with small propulsion systems on either side we could direct it to our ideal distance, we attach our "longline", which would need to be able to withstand a bit of tension caused by earth's downward pull of gravity on the line, or we could simply have the "line" fed out from a position in space - this would "limit" how much line we can supply. But the great thing about some thing like this is once the line is in place on this comet that is constantly moving we could could add on mass which would be able to use the comet's existing momentum - now I am sure this would slow the comet down over time but I am sure we could attach a lot of mass to our destination using this method - but I am no physicist so I would kindly ask for some understanding from the knowledgable here.
Another Idea I had was that maybe we don't need to keep the comet going, maybe we could direct its momentum straight in to where we want to go moon, mars etc and we then have a line between point A and B that we could then ancor down and use to send things along.
I know these are currently just crazy ramblings, and in some ways just crazy, but our science is getting crazy and we need to think crazy to achieve some of the goals we have. I like trying to think outside the square but do not posses the understand of physics to scrutinize this idea - so please help me - Thanks
I'm sure many of you have thought similar things, I have thought of this since young but was reminded by the comet speak.
Please scruitinize and feel free to contribute any idea's you may have - the more brains the better!

Sorry mate but to be honest I don't see this working at all.

And even if it did work I'm sure it would cause a lot more harm then good.

reply to post by byteshertz


You might want to Google "space elevator". Engineers have been trying to create a strong enough/light enough cable to go between an ocean base and high orbit for decades. Your idea is not far fetched, just technically not viable yet. There is tons of development being done in this field right now. Very exciting!

reply to post by dainoyfb


Thanks, alot more helpful that the first poster who, although friendly, just said it won't work but didnt explain why, maybe this comet idea could be combined with the space elevator idea to provide the propulsion system to put the elevator in place.

Edit to video found on the space elevator:
I was picturing more of a cable, but I guess it would need to be super thick and strong to support the weights required.

Originally posted by TechUnique
Sorry mate but to be honest I don't see this working at all.

And even if it did work I'm sure it would cause a lot more harm THAN good.

I'm not sure why? Elucidate on your reasons.

How could it cause more harm?

Originally posted by dainoyfb
reply to post by byteshertz

 

You might want to Google "space elevator". Engineers have been trying to create a strong enough/light enough cable to go between an ocean base and high orbit for decades. Your idea is not far fetched, just technically not viable yet. There is tons of development being done in this field right now. Very exciting!

I thought the consensus was the nano carbon fibres they were creating Could do this, but it was just a very inefficient method at the moment?

Hopefully, with the ever, exponentially increasing level of technological advancement (such as we're in right now) this is within the realms of reason!

But I suppose you are correct, right now, we can't... doesn't stop planing however, I hope !!

I hope.. oO

reply to post by byteshertz


That's where nano carbon fibres come into play - supoer strong, yet thin as anything and capable of sustaining hefty weights.

I will have to look up where I read the use of them in this, I cant find it right now..

I hate the internet sometimes, find something once, BOOKMARK IT, for it will never be found again

I don't know of any comet or meteor that's orbit is between us and our closest planets in our solar system. Probably wrong, but not enough gravity to pull into ideal position to try and approach your idea. Interesting as it might be, wouldn't it be better to just tether the line to artificial objects that we can control orbit of systems? But I feel all those points are mute, as we do possess the ability to travel to near earth objects in our solar system. Too much was accomplished 80 years ago to just see it stagnant by NASA.

Originally posted by I.T.S.U.
I don't know of any comet or meteor that's orbit is between us and our closest planets in our solar system. Probably wrong, but not enough gravity to pull into ideal position to try and approach your idea. Interesting as it might be, wouldn't it be better to just tether the line to artificial objects that we can control orbit of systems? But I feel all those points are mute, as we do possess the ability to travel to near earth objects in our solar system. Too much was accomplished 80 years ago to just see it stagnant by NASA.

I assumed this idea was possible since scientists were already talking about catching a ride with a comet out as the latest idea here
I had assumed they were planning on first landing on one and installing some sort of propulion on the sides to direct it. But it could just be a baseless idea too.

reply to post by byteshertz




Very cool idea.

Originally posted by badw0lf

Originally posted by TechUnique
Sorry mate but to be honest I don't see this working at all.

And even if it did work I'm sure it would cause a lot more harm THAN good.

I'm not sure why? Elucidate on your reasons.

How could it cause more harm?

I apologise for my brief post , I had just come back from the pub at the time of writing it.

Just catching up on the thread I realise that you didn't mean pulling earth through space, which is what I previously thought you meant.

Instead you are talking about 'Lassoing' a comet and using it in a fashion similar to a freight train?