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Think of going vertical like just attaching a line to a geostationary satellite (but one in much lower orbit.) Now put a larger mass where the satellite is. It'
by delinka 11y ago
Think of going vertical like just attaching a line to a geostationary satellite (but one in much lower orbit.) Now put a larger mass where the satellite is. It's supposed to be like putting a ball on a string and flinging it about in circles - the mass (ball, station) actually helps hold the connector (tether, tower, cable, w/e) "up" while counterweighting against the central anchor (your hand, earth.)
There's no drag in space, so trailing Earth's rotation isn't necessary.
- jdblair 11y agoYou can't have a geostationary satellite in "much lower orbit." The orbital period of a satellite is set by its altitude. A lower orbit means a shorter period. Since a geostationary satellite is one with an orbit above the equator and a period of 1 day, so its orbit matches the earth, and the period is set by the altitude, a geostationary satellite can only exist in one orbit. That's why the geostationary band is getting a bit crowded.