Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[The Doctor]

Why am I picturing a motherlode of panties halfway down to the core? o.o

[Vector]

I had to work this problem in physics class.  You zing back and forth from one pole to the other.  Forever.

[Heron TSG]

I had to work this problem in physics class.  You zing back and forth from one pole to the other.  Forever.

Not if they catch you with a net before you fly back in!

[nbonaparte]

And it would be much better, I think, to have it in a vacuum. That way it's only a 45 minute trip.

[Itnetlolor]

Looking at this shaft idea, it gave me an idea. Utilizing the Earth's natural magnetic and gravitational forces to our advantage, why not utilize the terminal velocity, have a massive enough vehicle going down the pipeline (for a higher TV), and line the pipeline with electromagnets throughout. Turn the planet into a gigantic railgun firing ships into distant parts of space. Hubble may have to be used as a crosshair however. Then again, we can always make use of the Himalayas and either use the range or Mt. Everest itself as a natural muzzle for takeoff.

The time it would take to travel through Hell, spend a split second in purgatory (IE- The Earth's crust), and fly off into the heavens should be cut dramatically; and if we can construct a massive enough space craft that can house an entire civilization within, and launch that sucker; overpopulation and exo-system space travel will both become realities. And in case aliens decide to visit and undo the megaproject, our planet is now a death star, except made of rock and is a massive railgun (or has many of them if we're not cutting through the entire planet, but along the sides; shallow-shafts).

I think a better example to base a proper railgun-shuttle system off of is probably the LHC. Have a long enough pipeline, keep the turn angle subtle, but able to loop around (at least enough to still fall vertically, but still not hit the core itself, while exiting vertically).

I can't believe it, but my head is churning out a blueprint of how it can be done. But it may have to wait until tomorrow when I'm more awake to draw it. But one idea that immediately springs to mind is a tectonic stabilizer. It has to be resistant to it, otherwise either the trajectories can be severely messed up, or the entire system could crumble, and the devil would be pissed.

ADDENDUM:
Got another idea, we can use the moon as a secondary crosshair and slingshot our space bullet-trains wherever we want just by subtly altering the course of the shot by aiming the muzzle at the edge of the moon or we can fire straight across sans lunar influence.

BTW, I have an MSPaint mockup made. Gimme a sec to upload it. Uploaded.

Spoiler: There's plenty of room for editing. Feel free to make adjustments where necessary. (click to show/hide)

[Realmfighter]

You are a god.

[Pandarsenic]

Itnetlolor is a genius.

[Virex]

you mean an upside-down Launch loop?

[MetalSlimeHunt]

And it would be much better, I think, to have it in a vacuum. That way it's only a 45 minute trip.

And what do you plan on doing when they come screaming out the other side at a few thousand miles per hour?

[Akigagak]

Take pictures.

[Bauglir]

-snip-

[Itnetlolor]

Well, to keep the planet spinning we can always try to make a sort of rotational booster of sorts at precise points around the globe and set them off simultaneously (yet gradually before going into full gear). Sure, for the time being, it'll cost fuel from our own planet, and if using fossil fuels to power them maybe our atmosphere; but if we gather enough surplus fuel(s) and resources from other planets and asteroids, along with having alternative energy sources, we should be able to maintain the Earth's rotational speed while continually sling-shooting more ships into space to continue a resource (re)supply.

I guess to make the railgun, and the secondary-superpower rotational axis/speed maintainence system more of a reality, we'll need alternative fuels and ways to manufacture them in mass quantities swiftly. At least enough for the rotational boosters to keep burning without incinerating our atmosphere or introducing too many chemicals/toxins into the air. Along those lines, we'll need higher education in order to maintain the rotational pattern as well so it remains the precise 24-hour cycle (while not altering the orbital trajectory of the planet itself) as well, and sufficient funding to not only build these things, but also provide enough security as to not doom the entire planet by knocking it's axis off, changing it's rotational direction, or expanding/contracting day cycles. These boosters could provide numerous terrorist opportunities and international security issues.

I guess considering these factors, we'll need competent governments, which alone is a megaproject. Where the hell can we find intelligent politicians? It's a bit of an oxymoron.

[Muz]

DF proves that we don't need competent governments to have megaprojects.

Instead of a railgun, why not something more useful, like a mass driver to the moon?

[Sir Pseudonymous]

DF proves that we don't need competent governments to have megaprojects.

Instead of a railgun, why not something more useful, like a mass driver to the moon?

In this case, "railgun" == "mass driver (to orbit)".

[JoshuaFH]

Whatever happened to just building Atlantis? I want to live under the sea!