Spaceward ho! (Not the derogatory word*, but the... er, whazface, like "hey".)
Arthur C. Clarke has much to answer for. Did you know he invented the communication satellite?
I wonder if they'll build the space elevator this century, and then when it's about finished, somebody will discover teleportation.
* ("Hi big boy, fancy a quickie in the airlock?")
I think it's in a Frederick Pohl book that the space elevator, once it's completed, becomes the easiest and irresistable terrorist target.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Gateway?
Gateway
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that there are no space elevators in Gateway.
KSR's Mars trilogy features a Mars-based space elevator being brought low by terrorists - maybe that's what you're thinking of?
Well on the website they say they'd have it anchored on a ship with an operating 100 mile no fly zone radius whereever it goes. that way the elevator can be moved around and it's isolated in the middle of the south pacific.
ReplyDeleteI still want to go for a ride on one in my lifetime, so just hope some tech billionaire might want to make a pet project out of it.;)
He did not invent them, he predicted them.
ReplyDeleteWell, you can expect security to be maximal, and no civilians allowed even "remotely close" to it for a good few decades.
ReplyDeleteBut will there one day be an end to the problem of terrorism itself? I'm not sure... And definitely not soon enough to build the space elevator without such worries.
Knowing the Americans, it'd probably be set in the middle of a huge area entirely declared military zone. Maybe they'll commission the whole of Kansas or Nevada for it or something. It's not like they lack the land space.
"fancy a quickie in the airlock?"
Gives a whole new meaning to "be careful not to accidentally press a button"! Otherwise, you might "get high" in a way you didn't wish...
I agree with Eo about the communication satellite idea. Clarke is not claiming to have invented the space elevator, BTW. He just made a great novel popularizing it, hard Sci-Fi stuff. I hope he lives long enough to see the project being launched, who knows? The guy sure deserves that pleasure.