I love my job, some days

I'm checking in periodicals, and the latest edition of IEEE Spectrum comes across my desk. The cover article is on space elevators, written by Bradley Carl Edwards, who used to work in the Los Alamos National Labs and now leads development of technologies related to the concept. Since my proto-novel, The War for Earth*, has space elevators as a matter of some import, I read the article.

Damn. We've come a lot further in the theories of such a thing than I thought. The article addresses several new technologies which could make the bloody things a reality within my lifetime. He also addresses some of the "disaster theories" which have been brought up, such as what might happen if the cable was cut -- and his simulations (he just completed a study on the topic for NASA) and calculations suggest the possibility of a disaster in such a situation isn't very high (VERY glad to read that; since I envision a scene where just such an event occurs).

It's got me all excited about the story, again. Guess I ought to work on it.

Also, here's an even better website on the topic, with some of Dr. Edwards' presentations. I'll be DLing some of that when I get home. Research, how I love thee!

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( Questions from The Misha )