Why can't they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?












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Why can't they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?



I know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.



Why can't we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?






launch spacecraft design







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    $begingroup$


    Why can't they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?



    I know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.



    Why can't we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?






    launch spacecraft design







    share|improve this question









    New contributor




    SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.







    $endgroup$















      1












      1








      1





      $begingroup$


      Why can't they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?



      I know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.



      Why can't we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?






      launch spacecraft design







      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.







      $endgroup$




      Why can't they just drop a solar winch down from a shuttle and have planes fly up and clip things on?



      I know of the idea to have a space lift but the cable necessary is too expensive.



      Why can't we just have a small cable hanging down to the edge of space though?






      launch spacecraft design




      launch spacecraft design






      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      SpaceMonkey is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      share|improve this question








      edited 11 mins ago









      peterh

      1,60111429




      1,60111429






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      asked 4 hours ago









      SpaceMonkeySpaceMonkey

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      New contributor





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      Check out our Code of Conduct.






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          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

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          8












          $begingroup$

          Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$









          • 2




            $begingroup$
            Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
            $endgroup$
            – val
            1 hour ago










          • $begingroup$
            The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
            $endgroup$
            – Steve Linton
            44 mins ago



















          1












          $begingroup$

          As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.



          It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$









          • 1




            $begingroup$
            "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
            $endgroup$
            – JCRM
            1 hour ago



















          1












          $begingroup$

          The end of the cable would be destroyed by the heat of reentry from a low orbit when reaching the height where planes may fly.



          But if you try to drop a cable from a low orbit it would not drop, it would stay in orbit. There is no droping of things in zero gravity.



          Pulling up a load to the spacecraft in low orbit would slow down the spacecraft. It would loose height and fuel is needed to maintain orbit.



          As written in the other answers, a plane is much to slow to catch the hook. Without a heatshield, the plane would be destroyed by the neccessary speed. With heatshield the plane would need a lot of fuel to maintain that speed.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes








            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            8












            $begingroup$

            Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$









            • 2




              $begingroup$
              Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
              $endgroup$
              – val
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
              $endgroup$
              – Steve Linton
              44 mins ago
















            8












            $begingroup$

            Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$









            • 2




              $begingroup$
              Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
              $endgroup$
              – val
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
              $endgroup$
              – Steve Linton
              44 mins ago














            8












            8








            8





            $begingroup$

            Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$



            Because space isn't about going high, it's about going fast! For example, in a 400km orbit (like ISS) you need a speed of about 27,500 km/h or 7.66 km per second. So if you would extend a pole, winch or anything else into the lower parts of the atmosphere, it would also move at about 27,500 km/h (if we ignore atmospheric drag and all other influences). Try to catch that hook! If you can, you might as well go straight into orbit yourself.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 3 hours ago









            DarkDustDarkDust

            6,90432854




            6,90432854








            • 2




              $begingroup$
              Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
              $endgroup$
              – val
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
              $endgroup$
              – Steve Linton
              44 mins ago














            • 2




              $begingroup$
              Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
              $endgroup$
              – val
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
              $endgroup$
              – Steve Linton
              44 mins ago








            2




            2




            $begingroup$
            Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
            $endgroup$
            – val
            1 hour ago




            $begingroup$
            Reminds old good what-if.xkcd.com/157
            $endgroup$
            – val
            1 hour ago












            $begingroup$
            The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
            $endgroup$
            – Steve Linton
            44 mins ago




            $begingroup$
            The "Rotating Skyhoook" concept en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure) seems relevant here
            $endgroup$
            – Steve Linton
            44 mins ago











            1












            $begingroup$

            As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.



            It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$









            • 1




              $begingroup$
              "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
              $endgroup$
              – JCRM
              1 hour ago
















            1












            $begingroup$

            As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.



            It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$









            • 1




              $begingroup$
              "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
              $endgroup$
              – JCRM
              1 hour ago














            1












            1








            1





            $begingroup$

            As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.



            It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$



            As an alternative to DarkDust's answer. If you start higher, at the classic altitude for space elevators the end of your cable is indeed stationary to the air but your cable needs to reach from Geostationary orbit to the upper atmosphere, something like 35,700km. The clipping off the last 20-60km does make a big difference in the overall monumental cost and complexity.



            It is also worth noting that as you climb the cable, you will also pull the cable and station down. So your elevator will need to burn similar amounts of fuel to keep in orbit as if you had flown there (though possibly in a more efficient engine), unless you can balance things with loads coming down and being dropped as you go up.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 3 hours ago









            GremlinWrangerGremlinWranger

            2,073216




            2,073216








            • 1




              $begingroup$
              "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
              $endgroup$
              – JCRM
              1 hour ago














            • 1




              $begingroup$
              "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
              $endgroup$
              – JCRM
              1 hour ago








            1




            1




            $begingroup$
            "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
            $endgroup$
            – JCRM
            1 hour ago




            $begingroup$
            "does make a difference" or "doesn't make a difference" ?
            $endgroup$
            – JCRM
            1 hour ago











            1












            $begingroup$

            The end of the cable would be destroyed by the heat of reentry from a low orbit when reaching the height where planes may fly.



            But if you try to drop a cable from a low orbit it would not drop, it would stay in orbit. There is no droping of things in zero gravity.



            Pulling up a load to the spacecraft in low orbit would slow down the spacecraft. It would loose height and fuel is needed to maintain orbit.



            As written in the other answers, a plane is much to slow to catch the hook. Without a heatshield, the plane would be destroyed by the neccessary speed. With heatshield the plane would need a lot of fuel to maintain that speed.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$


















              1












              $begingroup$

              The end of the cable would be destroyed by the heat of reentry from a low orbit when reaching the height where planes may fly.



              But if you try to drop a cable from a low orbit it would not drop, it would stay in orbit. There is no droping of things in zero gravity.



              Pulling up a load to the spacecraft in low orbit would slow down the spacecraft. It would loose height and fuel is needed to maintain orbit.



              As written in the other answers, a plane is much to slow to catch the hook. Without a heatshield, the plane would be destroyed by the neccessary speed. With heatshield the plane would need a lot of fuel to maintain that speed.






              share|improve this answer









              $endgroup$
















                1












                1








                1





                $begingroup$

                The end of the cable would be destroyed by the heat of reentry from a low orbit when reaching the height where planes may fly.



                But if you try to drop a cable from a low orbit it would not drop, it would stay in orbit. There is no droping of things in zero gravity.



                Pulling up a load to the spacecraft in low orbit would slow down the spacecraft. It would loose height and fuel is needed to maintain orbit.



                As written in the other answers, a plane is much to slow to catch the hook. Without a heatshield, the plane would be destroyed by the neccessary speed. With heatshield the plane would need a lot of fuel to maintain that speed.






                share|improve this answer









                $endgroup$



                The end of the cable would be destroyed by the heat of reentry from a low orbit when reaching the height where planes may fly.



                But if you try to drop a cable from a low orbit it would not drop, it would stay in orbit. There is no droping of things in zero gravity.



                Pulling up a load to the spacecraft in low orbit would slow down the spacecraft. It would loose height and fuel is needed to maintain orbit.



                As written in the other answers, a plane is much to slow to catch the hook. Without a heatshield, the plane would be destroyed by the neccessary speed. With heatshield the plane would need a lot of fuel to maintain that speed.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 1 hour ago









                UweUwe

                9,94322954




                9,94322954






















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