Whip Tower

Whip Tower (Animation)

Hi -just joined. Hope you can help with this one!

Subject: “Whip” Tower (High steel tower (no damage to tower) that can arch down for payloads and whip it into orbit or beyond)

To anyones knowledge, has this idea ever been considered before? I am reasonably new to this field. - I have studied space towers and elevators in recent months, but none seem like a practical solution. From what I can gather, geostationary orbit might be possible with an elevator, but they still have to figure out how to produce the carbon nanotubes in space. - Or is that produce them continuously?

A good reason that it may not have been considered before is because towers of any real height have a problem with sway and buckling.

Suggest you see my tower drawing first for a better understanding at:
<http://groups.msn.com/DavesBridgesandTowers> Also see explanations on “Open web section” (in messages section)- You will note that the tower has two layers of open webbing instead of one. (Total of 4 sets of double webbing around the tower)

A third or even a fourth layer of webbing would likely be needed on the forward side of the tower (I’ll go for four) to provide the extra leverage needed in order to lift the load, own self weight and whip. (A pulley system could also be incorporated on the extended struts (forward side) to cut down on winches)



Questions: - (My rough guesses)

1) How high would the tower have to be? – (2 km?)
2) What would the final speed of the whip have to be? – (?)
3) Would the payload burn up? (no)
4) Would the ‘g’ forces be too much for human life? (hope not - no)
5) Lots of electric winches needed? - (Maybe not!)
6) Two parralell towers needed instead of one? - (No, but might be better)
7) Could carbon nanotubes be used to extend the sweep of the whip? (Yes, could even be a better combination! - Might be used to lift into a higher altitude before the whip)

ROCKET POWER

You would be able to combine with rockets? – (yes)
Is it the start of a launch that costs the most fuel? – (Yes)

Any information on this would be appreciated.



Dave:m:

 

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Sorry all...Wrong thread!...Again!!! While I'm here though...

Is someone able to do a computer animation of this "whip tower"? Am I in the right area for this? I'm almost (5 mths) computer illiterate....Love it (especially drawing) but also loathe it!
The idea of the whip sounds a bit mad at first, but mightn't be such a bad idea when you get over the thought!
I've been on the lookout for someone to help with explanations of my arch designs. - How they react compared to existing etc'....Curving, flexing, 3-D, whip! (suggestions?)

Hope you can help. (Guess I'll put this thread somewhere else!)

Dave:m: (laws stink!)

 

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For something like that, I expect you'd need soem kind of CAD software. But I'm not sure if the software would be able to do the calculations you wanted. You may have to write your own software (which after only 5 months is not something I expect you'd be able to do) or write some kind of module for an existing CAD software.

There are software packages out there that would be perfect for faking it and only doing a pretty animation like 3D Studio MAX or Lightwave, but to do the actual math calculations and use some material properties and physics laws you'd probably need to write that yourself.

-AntonK

 

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Thanks Anton, I do want help with the calculations, but my first aim is to somehow have the animation with explanations on my (or another) web site.
I thought that drawings and explanations would be enough, but not many seem to be able to get the gist of it yet. Might look a bit too complicated! Animation could be the trick! - I will look into the softwares you suggested (3D Studio MAX or Lightwave) but will more than likely still need an operator. Thanx!

 

Don't let me give you the impression that either of these software packages is easy to understand/learn or cheap...because they are neither. I hope i can give you some help in your design. Even if the design is horrible and the idea impossible...animations are always fun

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-AntonK

 

Great!! I'll work on some diagrams and put on my site.
Try to read the explanations section when you get a chance. - There's a couple of items about the arches, which would probably be the best place to start. Try to ignore the part about the test they did in Culminet, as there is an explanation for it. - Nothing to do with this anyway!
http://groups.msn.com/DavesBridgesa...D_Message=13&LastModified=4675406010819267968
Sounds good,

Dave