My last post were ded wrong.
Try this:
You release some mass from the overall structure (remove a counterwieght at
the bottom). The skyhook goes up and west. Don't let it drift too far
(reminds me off losing my baloon when I was a kid, but lots worse). You'd
need a bit of clear equator, or there's gunna be some trouble...
Then, add the weight back, plus your payload, which is hoisted up.
Meanwhile, the structure drifts down and east.
Once the stuff gets to orbit, you've got the original state, except the
thing's a bit low; it should return to the original height and stop
drifting.
Does this work? Or am I dead wrong again (probably).
I'd assume you'd have some wasteful rockets and stuff on the top end to
adjust for any imprecision.
Emlyn
> > >back to geo the entire structure starts to drift east.
> >
> > Doesn't it drift back when the elevator goes down again?
>
> Ja but I was actually thinking of leaving stuff up there. You
> can do stationkeeping by returning mass down, but that is sooo
> unsatisfying. spike
>
>
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