There is mention under the technology section that the only two beanstalks are located at Libeville and Beta Canum. The discription of Tunghu colony mentions a beanstalk at Freihafen. The UPC for the Alpha Centari colonies list them with a inerface level of A as well. Are there 3 beanstalks in this edition (Earth, Alpha Centari, and Beta Canum)?
2300ad beanstalks
- Thread starter wonka
- Start date
Hi,
I'm not certain, but I think this might have to do with an inadvertant carry over from the 2320AD book that was developed by the same author.
It my understanding that since the 2320AD book was set 20 years later, there were some updates to the setting, that inadvertantly get included in the 2300AD book when it was written, and this 3rd Beanstalk may be one of them.
Pat
I'm not certain, but I think this might have to do with an inadvertant carry over from the 2320AD book that was developed by the same author.
It my understanding that since the 2320AD book was set 20 years later, there were some updates to the setting, that inadvertantly get included in the 2300AD book when it was written, and this 3rd Beanstalk may be one of them.
Pat
Lots of (noncanonical) reasons for Mars to have one, too. For one thing, it would be a heck of a lot easier to build than its Terran analog... once you pushed Phobos out of the way. It could serve as a testing grounds and proving model for the bigger, much more expensive construct in earth orbit. For another, it would be a heck of a lot easier to get things in and out of Mars. Not enough air pressure for lifting bodies, not enough gravity to make rockets worth the candlepower.
Mars is probably one of the darnedest places to get in and out of without one
Mars is probably one of the darnedest places to get in and out of without one
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
Use Phobos as a counterweight, don't just push it out of the way.
Maybe AlphaCent is building a beanstalk?
You are correct though, per the original book, only Earth and BetaCanum had Beanstalks.
Your game, do it however you want.
Maybe AlphaCent is building a beanstalk?
You are correct though, per the original book, only Earth and BetaCanum had Beanstalks.
Your game, do it however you want.
Rikki Tikki Traveller said:
Interesting puzzle there. Phobos orbits (fast!) inside the geostationary orbit for Mars—in a fairly circular orbit of about 9,500km, at an inclination of just 1 degree off the equator. Which means Phobos will be cutting across / through the path of your Martian beanstalk a few times each day... or you can hang your beanstalk from Phobos, but it can't be anchored to the ground.
So I do agree with you, it would make a great counterweight for a beanstalk... but it might also have to be moved out of the way, if it didn't fly into rubble first.
Fun paper on the topic, BTW.
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
I believe Kim Stanley Robinson's Red/Green/Blue Mars books addressed this. He added a vibration to the Beanstalk that moved it out of the way each orbit of Phobos.
He also used Deimos as his counterweight (sorry, go that wrong above) since it is ALMOST in a stationary orbit now.
He also used Deimos as his counterweight (sorry, go that wrong above) since it is ALMOST in a stationary orbit now.
