4 ms·

And no known material has enough tensile strength to make it work!

by hwc 3y ago

SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago
> no known material has enough tensile strength I know that's true of Niven's ringworld, which is just unholy scale and parameters - 1 rotation like the earth does in a year, every 9 days! (1) And so it cannot be made from atoms, something with "tensile strength similar to the strong nuclear force" is needed (2) But is it true of Banks's more practical Orbital as well? This reference says yes: "No form of ordinary matter will support the tensions of a Banks Orbital's spin, so exotic matter is required." (3) 1) http://www.alcyone.com/max/reference/scifi/ringworld.html http://www.alcyone.com/max/reference/scifi/ringworld.html 2) https://larryniven.fandom.com/wiki/Scrith https://larryniven.fandom.com/wiki/Scrith 3) https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/4845ef5c4ca7c https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/4845ef5c4ca7c
- m4rtink 3y ago
  What about mass stream technology? Why everyone forgets mass stream technology? https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/47e1bb1fc898c https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/47e1bb1fc898c "Using accelerated streams of projectiles or particles to either transfer momentum or support a large structure." This is basically active super strong matter that requires uninterrupted continuous control, power supply and real time adjustments - or bad things happen very very quickly. What is there not to love?! ;-)
  - SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago
    Firing a machinegun up at something, from a planetary surface seems like a possible * way to to keep it from falling down (i.e. to push against gravity) but not so simply as a way to keep it from flying apart - the stresses on a ring rotating fast in zero G space, are Centrifugal. You would have to shoot inwards at it, from nowhere. * Possible, not necessarily practical.
    - m4rtink 3y ago
      Good point - this mass stream technology is crazy enough in normal cases (eq. space fountains, launch loops) & as you note almost impossible for a ring. :)
- dredmorbius 3y ago
  An SNF fibre or material would be ... interesting.

And no known material has enough tensile strength to make it work!

by hwc 3y ago

And no known material has enough tensile strength to make it work!

> no known material has enough tensile strength I know that's true of Niven's ringworld, which is just unholy scale and parameters - 1 rotation like the earth does in a year, every 9 days! (1) And so it cannot be made from atoms, something with "tensile strength similar to the strong nuclear force" is needed (2) But is it true of Banks's more practical Orbital as well? This reference says yes: "No form of ordinary matter will support the tensions of a Banks Orbital's spin, so exotic matter is required." (3) 1) http://www.alcyone.com/max/reference/scifi/ringworld.html http://www.alcyone.com/max/reference/scifi/ringworld.html 2) https://larryniven.fandom.com/wiki/Scrith https://larryniven.fandom.com/wiki/Scrith 3) https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/4845ef5c4ca7c https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/4845ef5c4ca7c

m4rtink 3y ago
What about mass stream technology? Why everyone forgets mass stream technology? https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/47e1bb1fc898c https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/47e1bb1fc898c "Using accelerated streams of projectiles or particles to either transfer momentum or support a large structure." This is basically active super strong matter that requires uninterrupted continuous control, power supply and real time adjustments - or bad things happen very very quickly. What is there not to love?! ;-)
- SideburnsOfDoom 3y ago
  Firing a machinegun up at something, from a planetary surface seems like a possible * way to to keep it from falling down (i.e. to push against gravity) but not so simply as a way to keep it from flying apart - the stresses on a ring rotating fast in zero G space, are Centrifugal. You would have to shoot inwards at it, from nowhere. * Possible, not necessarily practical.
  - m4rtink 3y ago
    Good point - this mass stream technology is crazy enough in normal cases (eq. space fountains, launch loops) & as you note almost impossible for a ring. :)
dredmorbius 3y ago
An SNF fibre or material would be ... interesting.