2006-07-01 11:26:10 · 11 answers · asked by xman 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
umm no. The pipe itself would be exponentially taller than the largest building ever built and therefore would be extremely vulnerable to attack or some other nature related damage, assuming the thing just doesn't snap into pieces and crash back to earth. Once it gets into space the obstacles would be even greater. There's about 50 years worth of space junk floating around out there and sooner or later a piece of it would be bound to crash right into the pipe. Also, space is full of micrometeorites which would puncture the thing with thousands of holes in a matter of days.
2006-07-01 12:12:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Theoretically, yes. There is a concept called a Jacob's ladder, with one end tethered to the Earth and the other end at a geostationary orbit 23,200 miles up. It would be an easy way to get objects into orbit; one would simply have to climb the ladder.
However, the stresses involved are enormous, and a Jacob's ladder would have to be one mile in diameter at the base at a minimum to be constructed of known materials.
The core of such structures generally don't do much to withstand stress, and there's no reason why it couldn't be hollowed to some degree, and would sort of have to to support electrical and plumbing requirements. So oxygen could certainly be pumped through a tube.
In fact, you wouldn't have to pump it. Since the pressure at the top could easily be kept lower than at the bottom, the oxygen would flow up naturally. (Think oil gusher.) The problem would be to keep some sort of valve at the top to prevent all of the atmosphere from leaking out.
2006-07-01 18:37:06 · answer #2 · answered by TychaBrahe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
TychaBrahe (above) had a good answer, aside from her last paragraph. The air would not flow up the pipe due to differences in pressure. If I stuck a long pipe down into the depths of the ocean, the higher pressure water down below would not 'geyser' up and create a fountain. If it did, that would be one amazing way to create a perpetual motion machine in which we could harvest the energy.
Not gonna happen. Everything else was well thought out and explained however.
2006-07-02 00:55:40 · answer #3 · answered by Another DIY Guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read Arthur Clarke's "Fountains of Paradize" about an elevator to space.
We don't have the technology yet. As Cecil wrote, geostationary orbit is 22,000 miles up. I think an elevator is probably easier than a pipe.
2006-07-01 19:51:36 · answer #4 · answered by Kitiany 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The station would have to be in Geostationary orbit; the pipe would have to be outrageously long (approx 22000 miles!)and strong enough to support itself; it would be subject to hits from other satellites, junk in orbit, airplanes, birds, etc. so, my answer is....No way.
2006-07-01 18:32:22 · answer #5 · answered by Cecil 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, we don't have the engineering materials strong enough to withstand the tension.
2006-07-01 18:38:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is mechanically impossible as it would bend and break. Also it could not support is own weight
2006-07-01 20:07:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. Why don't we have a bridge to Hawaii? Or Cuba? Hmmmm.
2006-07-01 19:46:19 · answer #8 · answered by papricka w 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Techinically, yes. It would be insanely expensive though.
2006-07-01 18:30:36 · answer #9 · answered by jcmark4501 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably possible not very practical.
2006-07-01 18:35:52 · answer #10 · answered by robert p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋