Space elevator (Score 1)

There are two failure points in the "space elevator" idea. The first is a flaw in the theory, the other is a danger that is known but ignored. The theoretical flaw is exposed by the name "space elevator". Almost everybody tends to assume that getting into orbit is a matter of gaining altitude. It is not. A ship can orbit as low as 60 miles or so, but but it has to accellerate to about 17,000 miles per hour to do it. To get into a geosychronous orbit requires a much higher velocity. Space nerds call that "delta v", and it is the coin of the realm. Altitude is of interest, but it's delta v that gets you from one altitude to another. The energy to lift a pod is drawn from the anchor already in orbit, pulling it down. As it drops it moves ahead. The tether won't allow it to move ahead. The tether pulls on the anchor, causing it to drop more, and the anchor wraps its tether around the earth and crashes. The only way to prevent this is to apply rocket power to the anchor; exactly as much power as it would have taken to lift and accelerate the pod without the tether. The other danger is lightning. We have this thing called the ionosphere. The "ion" part means electrical charge. Meteors and ships passing through this zone often trigger a discharge of the stored energy. The amount of stored energy varies, but anything that crosses that zone can discharge whatever is stored there. The space elevator's tether would be the world's tallest lightning rod. BTW, I anticipate that there will be at least one response from someone who thinks the physical laws can be circumvented by careful design, and another from someone who thinks all laws are subject to a vote.