A Train to Space: All Aboard the 20,000-Mile-Per-Hour Low-Earth-Orbit Express

[Tsyal Maktoyu]

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-03/all-aboard-20000-mile-hour-low-earth-orbit-express

Interesting. Though it seems quite infeasible if you ask me. Not necessarily the idea of maglev propulsion to get something beyond escape velocity, but the idea of supporting a tunnel 12-miles in the air using magnetic levitation. There was a discussion involving the magnetic force required to hold Pandora's floating mountains up, and the medical problems that would pose (one graphic example being hemoglobin getting ripped out of your blood cells). I'd imagine there'd be similar problems in this situation (and besides, 220 million amperes at all is...hot damn... ).

[Niri Te]

 If the unobtainium in those mountains is that efficient of a conductor, AND that magnetic, then it might not take enough gaus to float them, but the "tunnel"? My GOD, that might be enough to rip the hemoglobin right out of your body.
Niri Te

[Human No More]

Interesting idea, but the break-even point is very high; there would need to be a lot put into orbit to the point that a space elevator would likely be more economical (plus, can remove items from orbit as well).

There was a discussion involving the magnetic force required to hold Pandora's floating mountains up, and the medical problems that would pose (one graphic example being hemoglobin getting ripped out of your blood cells)

It was also incorrect - iron compounds are not necessarily ferromagnetic; haemoglobin is not.
http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/910-ow-to-debunk-biomagnet-therapy-in-less-than-a-minute.html
MRI scanning does not kill people.

[Tsyal Maktoyu]

That's a low energy compared to this. At high enough energies, one can force a magnetic moment into any element, regardless of its status as a magnet at lower energies. The iron in hemoglobin would likely develop it's magnetic moment at the high energies that would be toyed with in this project (and possibly other elements in the body).

[Kamean]

There is a similar idea - Space elevator. First proposed in 1895 by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

[Human No More]

Srane, that is actually a more practical one, that could theoretically be doable in the next decade or two if countries actually cooperated.

[Kamean]

Yes,  50$ billion required.

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

The problem with a 'space elevator' is that it might be able to lift an object to the requisite height. But, it cannot impart enough velocity to the object on its own to make it go into orbit.

We need a practical spaceplane-like vehicle (like the space shuttle was supposed to be) to make living/working in space 'routine'. Such a project is in the works, and I am very excited about it:

http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/skylon.html

[Kamean]

Yes, space plane would be the best solution.