Lofstrom Loop 2

[kemmerer]

The problems with building a Lofstrom Loop should not be underestimated. Maintaining the loop's stability would require quite advanced control systems, which had not yet been developed at this time.

Later in the timeline Loops were often constructed by human societies, but they just hadn't gotten round to it at the time of the Expulsion.

[EARTHMANK001B]

If US and Europe are not building it, China will be the next most likely Lofstrom builder.

Besides, do we really need a 2nd singularity bein to build it for us?

A verywell funded baseline commitee can achieve the same.

Anyway, I really look forward to the Waking Up of the Mother Earth. All hail GAIA.

[SailorBarsoom]

I'll look at it. Wouldn't it be possible to build a smaller version, that cuts launch costs a little, and then later expend it? Or is it an all-or-nothing launch device?

[InternetGuy1975]

This concept is far more practical than the space elevator will ever be. It seems to me that these concept are being formed out of market economic design needs. I would assume if we advance to the point where we would control energy and matter to the extent needed in order to achieve either the elevator or fountain that standard ground to space travel would be so far advanced beyond what we have now making either concept non usable based on economics and competing existing forms of travel :) :)

[Brightgalrs]

The ribbon would be a little more then 5 cm in diameter.

[MichaelCox]

I heard this design will allow you to fire off orbital payloads as fast as you can load them. This thing is far superior to the space elevator if it works as intended. IT NEEDS TO BE BUILT.

[kemmerer]

A launch loop or Lofstrom loop is a published design for an active structure maglev cable transport system intended for orbital launch that would be around 2,000 km (1,240 mi) long and maintained at an altitude of up to 80 km (50 mi).

From wikipedia.

Costs are estimated to be much lower than a space elevator.

[chillymunster]

How much would it cost to build?

By that design it looks like it would be a continent long system.

[greenheadjoe]

So it is similar to a railgun?

[Libertarianist]

@greenheadjoe Not at all. It's very complicated, but very practical. It's a big evacuated looped tube (called a sheath) containing a steal rotor (basically a thick wire) that stays in the middle of the tube through magnetic levitation. The rotor moves continuously through the sheath at a bit higher than than orbital velocity. The momentum of the rotor effectively keeps the sheath aloft. A maglev spacecraft could be propelled along the sheath by inducing electrical eddy currents in the rotor.

[Herufaia]

Those poor 10 billion people that refused to use these during the great expulsion.....

Anyhow, this is pretty cool I'd always been struggling to figure out what they'd look like from the descriptions of them.

[roidroid]

Facinating.

I've just been reading the Wikipedia's article on "Non-rocket spacelaunch" and am glad to have found this video illustrating the "launch loop" concept.

[Willpagan]

Very good. I like seeing such concepts brought to life.

[Alexeon]

It looks like a giant swing set. :) Having something launch from it would look very cool.