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Space coil generator
Huge rings of copper orbit the earth generating electricity.
 
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Our high school physics classes all taught us some basic principles about electromagnetics. One of which is a ring (capable of efficiently conducting electricity) traveling through a magnetic field creates a current in the ring. Another basic idea taught is the fact that the earth has its own giant magnetic field (hence compasses)...but we all knew that already. If we have a giant ring that orbits around the earth through the earths magnetic field, it will generate energy (an electric current) that could be sent to the surface with microwaves or something. Here's a formula to refresh your memory if you don't remember.. magnetic field=(vacuum permeability constant - current generated)/(2pi x radius of ring)

If we start bringing up bits of copper on each space mission and leave it in orbit around the earth, we could assemble it into ring once we have enough up there. (since itd be impossible to build 'em here and bring them up, they'd be too big). Each huge ring has a microwave device to send the energy to the surface (I have no idea how the microwave thing works...guess we'll subcontract that one out). There we go! A new, never ending source of energy thats more or less safe... (just ignore the microwave beams going crazy and killing thousands like they do in SimCity 2000).

blaah, Sep 23 2001

Electrodynamic Tethers http://en.wikipedia...g/wiki/Space_tether
Sort of baked, in an improved form. [bdh, Oct 26 2005]


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       I guess great minds just think alike...muahaha (busily building plans to blow up sun)
blaah, Sep 23 2001
   

       No.   

       Just like a conventional generator, you're converting kinetic energy into electrical energy. That is: as you generate electricity with these coils, you slow down their motion. Eventually they fall out of orbit, and all you've done is reclaimed a fraction of the energy you expended launching them in the first place.   

       Bad idea. Not even a novel bad idea -- I've seen it proposed in books that really ought to know better.   

       Where electromagnetic tethers or space coils might be useful is not in generating power but in adjusting the orbit of a satellite without expending fuel. (Instead, you use electrical power from solar cells.) But this is a well-researched topic.
egnor, Sep 24 2001
   

       And when they fall: " An electrical cable storm lashed the west coast today. Salvage attempts are underway in an effort to use that portion of the cable currently spanning the entire Pacific Ocean to permit better internet access to islands in the mid-Pacific."
UnaBubba, Sep 24 2001
   

       Specifically, if the rings are spinning in one direction and generating electricity, electromagnetism will create a force on them in the opposite direction, because of the law of conservation of energy.   

       Fishbone. The rules specifically say not to post perpetual motion machines.
PurpleBob, Oct 20 2001
   


 
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