Japan starts space elevator experiments

Re:Japan starts space elevator experiments by ethbro on Sunday September 02, 2018 @03:42PM (#17898262)

Physics would tend towards "No."

Assuming a catastrophic break near the upper end of the cable (before the counterweight), there's not much you can do to keep it from coming down.

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Re:Japan starts space elevator experiments by zadler on Sunday September 02, 2018 @04:41PM (#17898530)

Perhaps unless you decide to detach the cable at the earth end? You might be able to react to a break faster than the cable can fall.

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Re:Japan starts space elevator experiments by Atheros on Sunday September 02, 2018 @05:16PM (#17898693)

Even if you could react and cut the cable in 1 ms, if the counterweight is disconnected, the rest of the cable is coming down to Earth.

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Re:Japan starts space elevator experiments by vorg on Sunday September 02, 2018 @07:25PM (#17899246)

Depending on what it's made of, a break in the cable wouldn't be instantaneous, but happen in stages. Perhaps cut the earth end at the red alert stage up top.

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