What type of material can create a cable strong enough to link a fixed point on earth to a space station?

Question

a geosynchronous orbiting space station

The material would be used to create a cable for a Sky hook yes-- As long as a geosynchronous orbit was maintained no reason at all would the cable be a threat to any part of the world-- Likewise if a small island possibly in the southern hemisphere was located for the postion of this possibly even antartica there would be no danger to any population. I have done the math- a Cable needed to be this long would only be 1500-2000 miles long- if it was put far enough away it could not danger anything.

Also if a cable did happend to fall it would burn up most of the way- And the actuall diamiter of the cable would possibly only be 20 -30 feet- nothing big enough to cause a substaintale ammount of damage to anything.

But more then likely enough to cause a bad tidal wave if it crashed into the ocean :(

Answer 1

This concept was discussed in an article in the IEEE Spectrum (see link below). In this article, the material for the cable is made of carbon nanotubes. The cable itself would not be a cable, but a ribbon around 1 meter wide and as thin as paper. That is how strong the carbon nanotubes are!! Because it is so thin, it would weigh less than a round cable so would not pose as large of a threat if it should happen to fall back to Earth. Instead of resting on an island, the article describes placing it on a movable platform in the ocean in an area of the Pacific near Eastern Island...this platform would be similar to an oil platform at sea. This area would have the benefit of being outside normal airline traffic patterns and the platform could move slowly to avoid hurricanes.

Answer 2

The device you're referring to, also known as a sky-hook, would require thousands of miles of cable. The cable would have to be thicker than the thickest tree trunk.

If anything ever happened to the satellite and its orbit destabilized, falling back to Earth, the cable reentering the atmosphere and falling back to Earth would render an entire continent uninhabitable and the ecological repercussions would be devastating to the entire planet.

Answer 3

This material is in the process of being invented, and several prototypes are in the process of being tested, for the purpose of creating a 'space elevator' that will make access to space stations MUCH MUCH less costly.

Answer 4

I think earth's orbit is enough. The space station is not a mobile home, it doesn't need to be anchored. Have more faith in our earth's mass and ability create a magnetic sphere.

Answer 5

unless it is VERY thin and light, it would pull the sattelite into the atmospere with its weight.
then you need to put out the satellite futher, then use more cable which weighs more
I dont think its possible

Answer 6

they're thinking about using a cable made of carbon nanotubes

Answer 7

carbon nano tubes, you monkeys cousin.