Tyson on Elevators

[ottarrus]

Interesting discussion about space elevators with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice.
And if Sarcasm is your native tongue [as it is with me] you will LOVE the joke this starts with....

 

[CordwainerFish]

I would be very polite if I was on an elevator with Tyson.

...

Oh, not that Tyson.

 

[Condottiere]

Why not on the Poles?

 

[Galadrion]

Why not on the Poles?

Because a polar orbit, by necessity, moves relative to the ground underneath it and the useful property of a geostationary orbit is the property of remaining stationary relative to the ground point directly beneath the orbital platform. See, a geostationary orbit is moving around the planet at the same angular rate and (and this is the relevant bit for this purpose) in the same direction as the ground-based point beneath it. With a polar orbit, the angular rate will be the same, but the direction will be 90 degrees different.

 

[Condottiere]

Not if it's actually stationary over the Pole.

 

[Sigtrygg]

It can't be in orbit then...
at least not around the Earth