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Non scientific observation: The Earth and Moon are not a consistent distance apart. XKCD What-If 157 (https://what-if.xkcd.com/157/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/157
by drakythe 7y ago
Non scientific observation: The Earth and Moon are not a consistent distance apart. XKCD What-If 157 (https://what-if.xkcd.com/157/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/157/) neatly illustrates this with the idea of connecting a pole from the earth to the moon, noting that "it's enough that the bottom 50,000 km of your fire station pole would be squished against the Earth once a month".
I realize XKCD isn't precisely accurate, but even if 50,000 KM is a /rough/ estimate Geostationary Orbit Height is still around 35,785 km, significantly less. As the moon and earth move closer this Lunar Space Elevator would need a winch capable of taking in 50,000 KM (or perhaps less, but not much or the earth's gravity would become much stronger on the 'station' end and the rope's strength calculation would be off) of "rope" or we're all gonna have a bad time.