Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxt.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!ihuxt!ivy From: ivy@ihuxt.UUCP Newsgroups: net.space Subject: Tethered Generators Message-ID: <671@ihuxt.UUCP> Date: Tue, 7-Aug-84 16:25:40 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxt.671 Posted: Tue Aug 7 16:25:40 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Aug-84 08:31:49 EDT Sender: ivy@ihuxt.UUCP Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 15 Loss of orbital energy (altitude) to stratospheric friction is a real problem. Using an orbiting tether as a generator winding, sweeping through a planet's magnetic field, and using that to replace the orbital energy lost to friction is an excellent idea. Now, having solved the problem of energy lost to friction, how shall we replace the orbital energy lost (converted) to electricity? How about a bicycle with a generator on the front wheel, and an electric motor on the back? Wiring them into each other won't make up for wind resistance... without adding a step-up transformer in between! ;-) D Iverson